Ritz-Carlton's UK debut "not imminent"

Marriott International is keen to expand several of its branded chains in the UK but says a launch of the five-star Ritz-Carlton chain here is not imminent.

A spokeswoman for the US-based company said there was potential for expanding the long-stay Marriott Executive Apartments chain, which is already set to open a property in West India Quay in London's Docklands in 2004.

The next two obvious cities in which to introduce the chain would be Manchester and Glasgow, she added. This was likey within the next five to seven years.

A further Marriott Executive Apartments property, to be run by Whitbread Hotels, was being developed in London's Chiswell Street. But that project is now on hold after a fall in sales led Whitbread to suspend £60m-worth of capital projects in November. Whitbread holds the master franchise for the main Marriott Hotels brand in the UK.

Marriott International said it was also keen to bring its Execustay apartments to the UK, although it did not specify when it wanted to do this by.

It also sees "massive potential" for developing the Courtyard by Marriott mid-market chain. There are 11 of these in the UK at present, all run by Whitbread.

But the introduction of Ritz-Carlton is more problematic. "We would like to have it in the UK, but finding a suitable property is very difficult," said the Marriott spokeswoman.

In Europe it is hard to find suitable sites to build hotels to the brand specifications, she added, unlike in regions such as the Far and Middle East.