Who's who in hotels
This sector has it all, from budget operations to famous five-star hotels. It's tempting to look at London first, but there are plenty of great opportunities elsewhere in the UK.
Accor
Originally a French hotel group, now with 4,000 properties worldwide, ranging from economy to luxury. Brands include Sofitel, Novotel and Mercure.
Alias Hotels
This UK hotel group aims to be stylistically a bit different, but at a price people can afford. Five hotels already up and running and more in the offing.
City Inn
An up-and-coming UK group with four outlets opened and big plans for more. Style at an affordable price.
Conrad Hotels
The luxury arm of Hilton. Conrad operates 15 hotels globally and offers good opportunities overseas.
Cendant UK & Ireland
Operates brands in the UK including Days Inn, Days Hotel and Days Serviced Apartments. It has big expansion plans.
Choice Hotels Europe
Brands include Comfort, Sleep Inn, Quality and Clarion.
Eton Group
UK lifestyle hotel chain headed by Peter Tyrie. Caused ripples in the industry by using portraits of naked women in its Glasshouse hotel in Edinburgh.
Express by Holiday Inn
Upper-end budget accommodation at 80 hotels in the UK.
Firmdale Hotels
Stylish London boutique hotel group run by Tim and Kit Kemp.
Four Seasons
The group that everyone loves to admire. Toronto-based Four Seasons operates luxury hotels globally, predominantly under management contracts.
Hand Picked Hotels
Recently relaunched company run by Julia Hands, wife of entrepreneur Guy Hands, and comprising 14 country house hotels.
Hilton
One of the world's biggest players, Hilton Group has a market value of about £3.5b and a turnover of nearly £4b.
Hotel du Vin
UK group founded by 2003's Hotelier of the Year Robin Hutson in the early 1990s, Hotel du Vin continues to grow and now has six outlets with plans for two more.
Jurys Doyle
Jurys Doyle will have 18 hotels in the UK and Ireland by 2005. Set to open in the first half of next year are hotels in Leeds, London's Chelsea and also in Boston, Massachusetts.
Macdonald Hotels
A large group of predominantly four-star hotels. Macdonald recently went private in a £620m deal.
Malmaison
One of the original boutique hotel chains. Founded by entrepreneur Ken McCulloch and now owned 100% by property company Marylebone Warwick Balfour. Malmaison recently opened its first hotel in London and has big expansion plans.
Marston Hotels
Three- and four-star accommodation at 15 hotels in the UK.
Marriott
A leading worldwide hospitality company with more than 2,500 operating units. Brands include Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott, Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts and Ramada Hotels & Resorts.
Le Méridien
An international brand of four- and five-star hotels with large London representation.
Millennium Hotels & Resorts
Part of the Millennium & Copthorne Group comprising four-star hotels in London.
www1.millenniumhotels.com
Myhotels
The brainchild of Andy Thrasyvoulou, a former architect from Cyprus who decided to go into hotels because he felt the standards were so appalling. There are currently two properties in London with another due to open in Brighton in 2005 and in Paddington in 2006.
Premier Lodge
Recently acquired by Spirit Group from Scottish & Newcastle, this is the budget hotel chain that everyone is watching. The 131-strong chain is still on the expansion trail with another south London outlet due to open in 2005.
Radisson Edwardian
London's largest privately owned luxury hotel group.
Red Carnation
A nine-strong group in London, Dorset, Geneva, Cape Town and Palm Beach. Mission statement is "no request too large, no detail too small".
Rocco Forte Hotels
Rocco Forte Hotels operates and owns luxury hotels in Europe. Last year it bought Brown's in London for £51.5m from Raffles International.
Savoy Group
Comprising some of the most famous names on the UK hotel scene, the Savoy Group has been offering luxurious hotel accommodation for more than 100 years. There are four London hotels: the Savoy, Claridge's, the Berkeley and the Connaught.
Shire Hotels
This eight-strong group found predominantly in the North of England was named AA Hotel Group of the Year 2003-2004. There is a big emphasis on spas.
Starwood
Hotel giant that includes Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and St Regis.
Travelodge
Owned by venture capitalists Permira, Travelodge was the original budget hotel. It now has more than 240 lodges in the UK.
Travel Inn
Part of Whitbread Hotel Group, this expanding budget chain is looking for 25,000 bedrooms in the UK. It continues to open outlets at a rate of knots.
Von Essen Hotels
A collection of privately owned hotels. Von Essen is one of the most talked-about names in the UK hotel industry, with a seemingly bottomless pit of money to spend on acquisitions.
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