The Matharu brothers
Overall ranking: 68
Hoteliers ranking: 16
The Matharu brothers - Harpal, Raj and Tony - are the founders of Grange Hotels, which owns and operates 12 luxury hotels in the heart of London and a 13th property in Bracknell, Windsor.
Tony Matharu is managing director of Grange Hotels and Raj serves as chairman.
The Matharu brothers - Career guide The Matharu brothers are low-key almost to the point of invisibility but they have quietly built up one of London's largest privately-owned collections of luxury hotels.
The Matharu brothers - What we think The Matharus brothers have chosen to locate their hotels in key Central London and City locations (with an especial penchant for the Bloomsbury area) near key attractions such as the West End, Covent Garden, and the City. The exception is the Grange Bracknell hotel in Windsor.
The greater part of the portfolio falls into the four-star bracket, with two five-star hotels at the top level.
The line-up includes a number of historic properties that include several Georgian and Victorian townhouses. One hotel, the Grange Strathmore, was the former residence of the Earl of Strathmore, the late Queen Mother's father while another two - the Grange White Hall and the Grange Blooms hotels - overlook or adjoin the British Museum.
The four-star hotels (which all offer meetings and conference facilities) range in size from the 26-bedroom Grange Blooms hotel in Holburn to the 120-bedroom Grange Bracknell in Windsor. Most have between 60 to 90 bedrooms.
The line-up includes the four-strong Bloomsbury Collection of boutique hotels which do not carry the Grange name. They range from the Buckingham hotel with 17 suites (including bathroom, kitchenette and lounge) to the newest member, the 40-bedroom Clarendon hotel. The 34-bedroom Lancaster hotel, a converted Georgian townhouse, is the group's only three-star property.
The larger, five-star hotels are both City-based and offer extensive conference, health and beauty, and restaurant facilities, including the Japanese Koto eateries.
The first to open was the 307-bedroom Grange City hotel in Southampton Row, which includes a 25m Greco-Roman style swimming pool. The 201-bedroom Grange Holburn, which is near the Tower of London, is the newest addition to the group.
In September 2005, the Grange City hotel made a major move into a niche market when it unveiled a women-only wing in a new-build, seven-storey block.
The wing, built in response to requests from female guests, caters for the businesswoman and pays particular attention to security and to specific female requirements. Each of the 68 female-only bedrooms provides a spyhole and chain on the door and offers a powerful hairdryer with an extra-long cord, large bathroom shelving and a backlit make-up mirror.
If this is successful, the Matharus are considering including more women-only rooms in their next major project. They are planning to open a 300-bedroom, five-star property by St Paul's Cathedral on the site of the Faraday House, which they acquired for £28m in 2004. The new hotel, due to be completed in 2008, will include conference facilities, a health centre and - in another first for the group - 100 serviced apartments.
The Matharu family's £98m fortune put them in 17th place in the 2006 Asian Rich list.
In August 2005, the group launched a tsunami disaster appeal that raised nearly £100,000 to build two orphanages for up to 200 homeless children in Sri Lanka. They raised the money through a variety of fund-raising events supported by BHA and VisitLondon that included a gala dinner and concert at the Grange City hotel.
The Matharu brothers - Further information
Grange Hotels official website
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