Lucky Onion founder to launch Cult Hotels

Lucky Onion co-founder Julian Dunkerton is set to launch locally focused brand Cult Hotels this spring with its first property in Cheltenham.

Dunkerton, co-founder of fashion giant Superdry and the Cotswolds hotel and restaurant group the Lucky Onion, plans to launch the brand of hotels with a focus on design and the local area.

The repurposing of characterful older buildings will be a cornerstone of the brand as it expands its footprint, with ambitious growth plans to roll into popular UK cities and beyond over the next few years. Hotels will offer automatic check-ins, post box key return and pantries for guests.

The first, the George in Cheltenham, will be made up of five refurbished Grade II-listed Regency townhouses, transformed into a 46-bedroom hotel.

Dunkerton said: "I identified a gap in the market to create a new hotel concept that is accessible, approachable and cool. Cult Hotels exists for the savvy traveller who values aesthetic and culture at a fair price. My ambition with this venture is to continue to breathe new life into old buildings and bring a game changing hotel concept to the marketplace."