Hotel News

Here you'll find the latest hotel news from the UK hotel industry.The <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /?>

UK hotel industry is worth an estimated £3.65b, according to the PKF consultancy. The major hotel news of the year saw the British Hospitality Association's annual *Trends and Statistics* 2007](http://www.bha.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=121) report revealing that more than 140 new hotels opened in the UK in the 12 months ending August 2007.These new hotels represent 13,000 rooms, up from 11,000 new rooms in the previous year. With re-launches, refurbishment and the extension and modernisation of existing properties, the BHA estimates that £3b was invested in the UK hotel industry during the period, more than in any previous year. The Whitbread Hotel Company retained its position as the UK 's largest hotel chain by bedrooms numbers. Its Premier Inn chain had more than 488 hotels with in excess of 32,600 bedrooms by September 2007. InterContinental was not far behind, with 32,540 bedrooms across its 241 UK hotels while the third position went to Premier Inn's arch-rival, the budget Travelodge chain, with more than 18,950 bedrooms across 310 venues. In other hotel news, private equity firm [Blackstone splashed out £12.69b on Hilton Hotels Corporation](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/10/25/316896/blackstone-completes-hilton-hotels-corporation-takeover.html), the budget hotels sector broke through the £1b barrier [Whitbread snapped up Golden Tulip for £40m](http://www.kitchenrat.com/2007/09/whitbread-buys-golden-tulip-uk-1.html) and for the first time. In March 2007, the Government bowed to pressure from Caterer, the BHA and a number of hotel groups by [ruling out bed tax](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/03/30/312514/government-says-no-to-bed-tax-in-a-few-hours.html).The Government also announced a [crackdown on rogue hotel employers](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/09/10/315959/hotels-face-crackdown-on-minimum-wage.html) paying staff less that the minimum wage.  Hotel news for 2008 looks set to be mixed as the global credit crunch begins to bite, but experts remain confident that the [hotel industry will continue to thrive](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/12/317217/credit-crunch-wont-affect-hotel-market.html).  TOP 10 UK HOTEL GROUPS ---------------------- 1. [Whitbread Hotel Company](http://www.whitbread.co.uk/) 2. [InterContinental Hotels Group](http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/) 3. [Travelodge](http://www.travelodge.co.uk/) 4. [Hilton Hotels](http://www.hilton.com/) 5. [Accor Hotels](http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/home/index.shtml) 6. [Marriott International](http://www.marriott.com/default.mi) 7. [Thistle Hotels](http://www.thistlehotels.com/thistle/hotels/;jsessionid=JOYRVOY4LJO1ECQFBQFCFEQ?_requestid=515322) 8. [CHE Hotel Group](http://www.choicehotelseurope.com/hotels/home) 9. [Wyndham Worldwide](http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/) 10. [Britannia Hotels](http://www.britanniahotels.com/) *Source*: BHA NEWS -------- [UK budget hotel market breaks £1b barrier >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/02/317098/uk-budget-hotel-market-breaks-1b-barrier.html) [Future is branding and franchising for hotels >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/15/317256/future-is-branding-and-franchising-for-hotels.html) [UK hotel market remains strong >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/09/317193/uk-hotel-market-remains-strong.html) [Budget hotels welcome BHA restructure plans >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/08/317165/budget-hotels-welcome-bha-restructure-plans.html) [Whitbread Golden Tulip deal will not be the last >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/10/04/316416/whitbread-golden-tulip-deal-will-not-be-the-last.html) [Premier Inn opens 500th property >>](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/14/317235/premier-inn-opens-500th-property.html)  BLOGS --------- [Whitbread buys Golden Tulip UK? >> ](http://www.kitchenrat.com/2007/09/whitbread-buys-golden-tulip-uk-1.html) [Guest blacklist launches >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/catering-news-blog/2007/10/guest-blacklist-1.html) [](http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/catering-news-blog/2007/09/hotel-bedsheets-what-is-the-po-1.html) [IHG shows attention to detail >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/catering-news-blog/2007/07/attention-to-detail.html) [Are the AAÁ¢Â€Â™s hotel reviewing days numbered? >> ](http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/catering-news-blog/2007/06/are-the-aas-hotel-reviewing-days-numbered-.html) [Useful blog for hotel news >> ](http://www.hotel-blogs.com/) Á‚ VIDEO --------- [Key industry players predict the key issues for the hotel sector this year >>](http://mwtraffic.ld.mediawave.co.uk/playout/playlist.asx?id=df61e1ad15e54c5c868a106d22e34116&type=1) [LuluÁ‚ Anderson and Cosmo Fry of the Big Sleep hotel in Cheltenham on having a TV crew in your hotel >>](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/02/07/311443/lulu-anderson-and-cosmo-fry-of-the-big-sleep-hotel-in-cheltenham-on-having-a-tv-crew-in-your.htm) Á‚ KEY PLAYERS --------------- Á‚Â

	[Alan Parker ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308929/alan-parker.html) Alan Parker is chief executive of Whitbread, which has grown from its 1742 brewing origins into one of the UKÁ¢Â€Â™s largest hospitality firms. In the year to March 2006, it made pre-tax profits of Á‚£181m on a Á‚£1.58b turnover.
[](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308796/grant-hearn.html)	[Grant Hearn](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308796/grant-hearn.html) Grant Hearn is chief executive of Travelodge, the fourth largest hotel group in the UK and the second largest budget brand after WhitbreadÁ¢Â€Â™s PremierTravel Inn.
	[Andrew Cosslett ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308878/andrew-cosslett.html)Andrew Cosslett took on the Á‚£650,000-a-year role of chief executive at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) on 3 February 2005.
[](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308801/ian-carter.html)	[Ian Carter](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308801/ian-carter.html) Ian Carter is chief executive of Hilton International Hotels, which owns, leases, manages or franchises 405 hotels in 80 countries (excluding the USA) and employs more than 61,000 staff.
[](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308935/robert-cook.html)	[Robert Cook](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308935/robert-cook.html) Robert Cook is the chief executive officer of two boutique hotel chains Á¢Â€Â" the nine-strong Malmaison and the seven-strong Hotel du Vin Á¢Â€Â" which are owned by investment property group Marylebone Warwick Balfour (MWB).
[](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308966/surinder-arora.html)	[Surinder Arora ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308966/surinder-arora.html) Surinder Arora is one of the UKÁ¢Â€Â™s major independent hoteliers, owning properties with more than 5,500 hotel bedrooms principally around hotel airports.
[](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308800/sir-rocco-forte.html)	[Sir Rocco Forte](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/308800/sir-rocco-forte.html) Sir Rocco Forte is the chairman and chief executive of Rocco Forte Hotels, which he set up in 1996 shortly after losing Forte (the hospitality giant founded by his father in 1934) to a Á‚£3.87b hostile takeover by Granada.
[JÁƒÂ¼rgen Giesbert ](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/309111/jrgen-giesbert.html)JÁƒÂ¼rgen Giesbert is the executive vice-president for the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa areas at US-based hotel management giant Marriott International.
[Tim Scoble](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2006/09/21/309235/tim-scoble.html) Tim Scoble is the chief executive officer of Thistle Hotels which operates 49 hotels, of which 30 are managed and the rest owned or leased.

Á‚ USEFUL LINKS ---------------- Á‚ [British Hospitality Association >> ](http://www.bha.org.uk/) [Bed & Breakfast Association](http://www.bandbassociation.org/)[ >> ](http://www.bandbassociation.org/) [Department for Business minimum wage guide for hotel employers](http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file41467.pdf)[ >> ](http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file41467.pdf) Á‚ BENCHMARKINGÁ‚ DATA ------------------------ [Sign-upÁ‚ for daily benchmarking >>](http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2007/11/15/301325/sign-up-for-daily-benchmarking.html) [Trip Advisor Á¢Â€Â" UK Hotels >>](http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g186216-United_Kingdom-Hotels.html) [Á‚Â