New owners aim to rescue reputation of Manchester's Princess

A central Manchester hotel has been relaunched after being bought by a group of private hoteliers.

The 85-bedroom Princess Hotel on the city's Portland Street has reopened as a "luxury" three-star hotel following a £500,000 refurbishment.

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Princess: relaunched as three-star

The former 18th century silk warehouse had fallen on hard times in recent years and acquired a somewhat dubious reputation. In January 2002 it was bought for about £4.7m by hotel chain Carlton Hotels, which had planned to add it to its Carlton Hotel Collection. But in November last year the property was sold on to a group of private hoteliers operating under the name Castle Green. The hoteliers, husband and wife team James and Catherine Alexander and managing director Tim Rumney, specialise in the turn-around and management of hotels in the north-west of England. They already own the 100-bedroom Castle Green Hotel in Kendal. Rumney claimed: "Our independence in comparison with the rising number of hotel chains in the city means we have a hands-on approach, with the flexibility and expertise to give our corporate customers the friendly personal touch that we are already famous for in Kendal." Buy this week's *Caterer* magazine for more industry news and analysis