The Hotel Collection

The Hotel Collection was a United Kingdom hotel group that operated primarily in the four-star, mid-market segment. It developed from Paramount Hotels, a portfolio established in 1994 with four properties: Shrigley Hall in Cheshire, the Angel Hotel in Cardiff, the Prince of Wales in Southport and the Palace Hotel in Buxton. Through a series of acquisitions, the group expanded across England, Scotland and Wales, adding conference, resort, historic-country-house and coastal hotels. Its estate also included 18 health and leisure clubs. The portfolio grew substantially during the 1990s and 2000s. In 1997, the group acquired three hotels formerly associated with Forte Hotels: the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool, the Imperial Hotel in Torquay and the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate, now operated as the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa. It subsequently added the Old Ship in Brighton, four properties from the Scottish Highland Group, the Oxford Hotel and several hotels acquired from Hanover Hotels and Furlong. Notable properties included the Carlton Hotel in Edinburgh, Redworth Hall in County Durham, the Marine Hotel in Troon, the Stirling Highland Hotel, Walton Hall, Billesley Manor Hotel and Combe Grove Manor Hotel. The brand underwent several ownership and management changes. In 2004, Dawnay Day Hotel Management Limited was established to manage the portfolio for the Dawnay Day Group. In September 2007, Barceló Hotels & Resorts took a 45-year lease to manage 21 United Kingdom properties. Barceló withdrew from the British market in 2012 and paid £20.25 million to terminate the lease. Puma Hotels initially considered reviving the Paramount identity, but instead used the Puma name before rebranding the chain as The Hotel Collection in June 2014. The rebrand followed Lone Star Funds' purchase of the business for £323 million. The Hotel Collection remained a 21-hotel group after the 2014 rebranding, although its portfolio was already being reduced. Four properties—the Palace Hotel in Buxton, the Marine Hotel in Troon, the Cheltenham Park Hotel and the Basingstoke Country Hotel—were announced for disposal in late 2014. In November of that year, former Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn replaced Fredrik Korallus as chief executive. In July 2015, Lone Star announced the creation of Amaris Hospitality, combining The Hotel Collection with additional hotel portfolios, including Jurys Inn, Mercure, Thistle and three Hilton hotels. The Hotel Collection ceased to exist as a separate entity during 2015. Amaris subsequently pursued an extensive disposal programme, and the former Hotel Collection properties were progressively sold or transferred. The group therefore survives primarily as a historical brand and predecessor portfolio within the United Kingdom hotel market rather than as an active chain.

The business began in 1994 as Paramount Hotels with four United Kingdom properties: Shrigley Hall, the Angel Hotel in Cardiff, the Prince of Wales in Southport and the Palace Hotel in Buxton. Its early strategy was to assemble a geographically distributed portfolio of full-service hotels, often with historic buildings, leisure amenities or conference potential. The Cheltenham Park Hotel was added during the first phase of expansion. In 1997, Paramount acquired three further properties from Forte Hotels: the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool, the Imperial Hotel in Torquay and the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. The Harrogate property later became associated with the DoubleTree by Hilton brand. The group continued expanding in 1999 with the purchase of the Old Ship in Brighton and four hotels from the Scottish Highland Group: the Carlton Hotel in Edinburgh, Redworth Hall in County Durham, the Marine Hotel in Troon and the Stirling Highland Hotel. In 2000 it added the Oxford Hotel outside Oxford city centre. Management arrangements changed in the following decade. Dawnay Day Hotel Management Limited was formed in 2004 to manage the portfolio for the Dawnay Day Group. The management transition followed the departure of personnel who later established QHotels using three former Paramount properties: the Queens in Leeds, the Midland Hotel in Manchester and Chesford Grange in the south-east of England. In 2005, the group acquired three Hanover Hotels in Basingstoke, Daventry and Hinckley, moved its head office from Morley in Leeds to Hinckley Island Hotel, and later purchased Walton Hall & Hotel. It also acquired Billesley Manor Hotel near Stratford-upon-Avon and Combe Grove Manor Hotel near Bath. The group’s market positioning settled toward the mid-market four-star segment. During the Paramount period, the Lygon Arms left Small Luxury Hotels of the World, while the Imperial Hotel Torquay lost its five-star rating. These changes reflected a portfolio-wide emphasis on mainstream full-service hospitality rather than an exclusively luxury proposition. In September 2007, Barceló Hotels & Resorts obtained a 45-year lease to manage the group on behalf of the owners, then associated with Dawnay Day Shore Hotels and Puma Hotels. Barceló operated 21 United Kingdom properties under the arrangement, but withdrew from the United Kingdom in 2012 and paid £20.25 million to end the lease. Puma Hotels considered restoring the Paramount identity but instead used its own name before adopting The Hotel Collection brand from 10 June 2014. The rebrand followed Lone Star Funds’ purchase of the business for £323 million. The Hotel Collection continued to operate 21 hotels after the rebrand, alongside 18 health and leisure clubs. The portfolio was nevertheless placed into a rationalisation programme. Four properties were announced for disposal in late 2014, and Grant Hearn replaced Fredrik Korallus as chief executive in November. On 6 July 2015, Lone Star announced Amaris Hospitality, a new umbrella company bringing together The Hotel Collection with 29 Jurys Inn hotels, 21 Mercure hotels, 19 Thistle hotels and three Hilton hotels. The Hotel Collection ceased to exist as an independent entity in 2015. Amaris progressively sold the former Hotel Collection hotels as part of a wider disposal programme. In 2018, Amaris Hospitality was acquired by LRC Group, which added further hotels to the portfolio. The Hotel Collection is therefore a defunct historical hotel-chain brand whose properties have since been operated, sold or rebranded under other ownership and management arrangements.

• 2018

  Amaris Hospitality is acquired by LRC Group

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  LRC Group acquires Amaris Hospitality and adds further hotels to its portfolio.

• 2015

  The brand is absorbed into Amaris Hospitality

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  The Hotel Collection ceases to operate as a separate entity after being combined with other hotel portfolios.

• 2014

  The Hotel Collection brand launches

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  Puma Hotels rebrands the chain as The Hotel Collection after Lone Star Funds acquires the business.

• 2012

  Barceló withdraws from the United Kingdom

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  Barceló exits the market and pays to terminate its management lease.

• 2007

  Barceló takes a long-term management lease

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  Barceló Hotels & Resorts assumes management of 21 United Kingdom properties under a 45-year lease.

• 2004

  Dawnay Day Hotel Management is formed

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  A dedicated management company is created to operate the hotel portfolio for Dawnay Day.

• 1999

  Scottish and coastal expansion

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  The Old Ship in Brighton and four Scottish Highland Group hotels join the portfolio.

• 1997

  Three former Forte hotels are acquired

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  The group adds the Imperial hotels in Blackpool and Torquay and the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.

• 1994

  Paramount Hotels is established

  [1]The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org

  The group begins operations with four hotels in England and Wales: Shrigley Hall, the Angel Hotel, the Prince of Wales and the Palace Hotel.

Mid-market four-star hospitality, combining full-service accommodation with leisure, conference and event facilities.

• Hotel accommodation · 1994

  Full-service four-star hotels

  The core offering was accommodation in a geographically distributed portfolio of United Kingdom hotels positioned mainly in the mid-market four-star segment. Properties included urban, coastal, resort and country-house locations, generally combining guest rooms with restaurants, bars, meeting facilities and leisure amenities.

• Leisure and wellness

  Health and leisure clubs

  The group operated 18 health and leisure clubs associated with its hotel portfolio. These facilities supported the brand's full-service positioning and could include fitness, recreation and wellness services, although the available reference material does not specify a uniform format across all locations.

• Business hospitality

  Conference and event facilities

  Many properties served business travellers and events through meeting, conference and function spaces. This formed part of the group's broader hotel proposition rather than a separately marketed standalone product line.

• 2015

  Creation of Amaris HospitalityM&A

  Background

  Lone Star sought to consolidate several hotel portfolios under a single umbrella company.

  Action taken

  The Hotel Collection was combined with Jurys Inn, Mercure, Thistle and selected Hilton hotels within Amaris Hospitality.

  Aftermath

  The Hotel Collection ceased to exist as a separate entity, and its hotels were progressively sold or transferred.

  Source

• 2014

  Lone Star acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Lone Star Funds acquired the hotel business from its previous ownership structure and sought to establish a distinct operating identity.

  Action taken

  Lone Star purchased the business for £323 million, after which the Puma identity was replaced by The Hotel Collection.

  Aftermath

  The group continued operating 21 hotels but entered a period of portfolio rationalisation and later became part of Amaris Hospitality.

  Acquisition price. £323 million (2014)

  Source

• 2014

  Portfolio disposal programmeStrategy

  Background

  The newly branded group began reducing its estate after operating 21 hotels.

  Action taken

  The group announced the disposal of the Palace Hotel in Buxton, the Marine Hotel in Troon, Cheltenham Park Hotel and Basingstoke Country Hotel.

  Aftermath

  The disposals preceded the broader integration of the portfolio into Amaris Hospitality and the later sale of former Hotel Collection properties.

  Source

• 2012

  End of the Barceló management arrangementStrategy

  Background

  Barceló had managed 21 United Kingdom properties under a long-term lease, but its withdrawal from the United Kingdom market made the arrangement commercially unsustainable.

  Action taken

  Barceló terminated the lease and paid £20.25 million to the hotel owners.

  Aftermath

  Puma Hotels resumed control of the portfolio and evaluated how to position the chain after the Spanish operator's departure.

  Lease termination payment. £20.25 million (2012)

  Source

1. 1The Hotel Collectionen.wikipedia.org