Starwood denies Morrison buy

US-based hotel company Starwood Hotels & Resorts has denied rumours that it is buying the Morrison hotel in Dublin.

A spokeswoman for the group said that it was looking for places in Europe, particularly London and Ireland, and that Dublin had been considered as a possible location for one of its boutique-style W hotels.

The 94-bedroom Morrison, which names fashion guru John Rocha as one of its designers, came on the market in March when owner Thomas Read Holdings put itself up for sale. The group also owns 11 modern Irish and European-style café bars and has a nine-year contract to run the bars at Dublin Airport, ending in April 2008.

Industry insiders said that an outright purchase of the Morrison would not be Starwood's style, and added that Rocco Forte Hotels, which has close ties with the group, would be a much more likely buyer.

Nobody at the Morrison was available for comment.