Luxury hotel group Langham Hotels International is planning a major refurbishment of its iconic London property as it seeks to expand its portfolio through acquisition and management deals.
The launch of its own LO GDS code on March 7 and preferred status with a growing number of travel management companies will, the Hong Kong-based group hopes, raise awareness of the group and increase customer loyalty.
The group is hoping to double the number of properties to 12 in five years’ time and to double in size again in the following five years.
Expansion is expected in China, India and the Middle East, with the group also exploring the possibility of more properties in Europe, including the UK.
Spearheading the expansion will be London’s 140-yearold Langham Hotel, which will undergo a complete multi-million pound refurbishment over the next two years to accentuate the hotel group’s English heritage that will be replicated across the whole group.
The 425-room five-star hotel was one of Europe’s original grand hotels and the refurbishment will seek to bring back some of that Victorian opulence while creating larger rooms and installing the latest technology. Work has already started with the upgraded Artesian Bar.
Senior vice-president sales and marketing Brett Butcher said: “We are going to relaunch our namesake hotel in London at the very top end of the luxury hotel market.
“It has been left behind a little by other hotels in London but we are taking that jewel and we are polishing it and putting back in the crown.”
Due to the small size of the group, Butcher said it can guarantee business travel agents the best rates not available by booking direct online.
The LO code will also allow the group to give agents realtime access and pricing for all its inventory through the four GDS systems.
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