Savoy Group renamed after sale of flagship

The Savoy Group of hotels has been renamed by its Irish owners after the sale of the iconic London hotel of the same name.

Property group Quinlan Private transferred management of the Savoy to Canadian hotel group Fairmont Hotels & Resorts earlier this month.

This followed the sale of the hotel and the adjacent Simpons's-in-the-Strand restaurant to a joint venture comprising Fairmont, Kingdom Hotels International (which is owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal) and Bank of Scotland Corporate.

The new Savoy-less chain is to be called Maybourne, and will include the Berkeley, Claridge's and the Connaught.

Quinlan Private has also indicated it is on the hunt for more "super luxury" properties around the world.

Geraldine McKenna, previously executive vice-president of the Savoy Group, will be Maybourne's new chief executive.

Quinlan Private chairman Derek Quinlan described the development as "an exciting day".

"There is a clear gap in the market for a group managing only landmark super-luxury hotel properties," he added.

by Nic Paton

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