Sister hotel planned for Blakes
The founder of London's Blakes Hotel, a forerunner of the townhouse hotel concept, is planning to open her second property in March next year.
Lady Weinberg, better known as actress Anouska Hempel, has already designed the interior and will operate the 50-bedroom hotel, to be called The Hempel, at Hempel Garden Square in Lancaster Gate, London.
Like the 52-bedroom Blakes, the hotel will be individually styled. It is expected to feature a hi-tech and minimalist look. It will have six suites, six serviced apartments and an 80-seat restaurant.
There will also be a private garden square for special events, a library, a fitness club and four private meeting rooms.
Bodo Klingenberg, who has worked at both Blakes and the Savoy, has been appointed general manager. Funding has come through a partnership with the Japanese property development company Fujita.
Planning problems have delayed the development of the new hotel since the idea was conceived four years ago.
- The 56-bedroom Sandy Hotel at Sandy, Bedfordshire, has been converted into a Holiday Inn Garden Court. The property was bought from Ascot Hotels in July by QN Hotels, which also owns the Holiday Inn Garden Court at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
