Morgans confirms opening of Mondrian hotel in London
Morgans Hotel Group has confirmed that it has agreed to open its first Mondrian hotel in Europe, within Sea Containers House on London's South Bank, overlooking the River Thames.
The 360-bedroom hotel is expected to become the sixth hotel under the cutting-edge, fantasy Mondrian brand, as reported by Caterer and Hotelkeeper in the summer. The company already operates Mondrian hotels in Los Angeles, New York and South Beach, Florida, with two further openings planned for Doha, Qatar, and Nassau, The Bahamas.
The property is due to open in early 2014, and US-based Morgans will invest £9m into the hotel, which it will operate under a 25-year management agreement with the owners, Archlane, with two 10-year extension options. The 1970s property was originally built as a 750-bedroom hotel, but was converted into offices.
Michael Gross, chief executive of Morgans Hotel Group, said he believed the Mondrian brand had unique appeal and significant potential for global expansion.
"Sea Containers is an exceptional property in a key gateway city that will allow us to serve our guests for business and leisure throughout the year," he said. "Morgans was specifically selected by the property's owner to develop and manage Mondrian London, which is a testament to the appeal of our lifestyle management and the strength of the Mondrian brand.
The Mondrian hotel will form part of an extensive renovation of the 412,000sq ft office building, over half of which will be retained as office space. It will incorporate a restaurant and both a ground-floor bar and rooftop bar, conceived by food and beverage operators the Light Group.
Morgans Hotel Group currently operates two hotels in London - the Sanderson and St Martins Lane. It has 90% controlling interest in the Light Group.
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By Janet Harmer
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