Belfry owner KSL acquires Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin
US-based private equity firm KSL Capital Partners, which already owns hotel and golf course complex the Belfry, has acquired boutique hotel brands Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin.
The deal, rumoured to be worth £200m, comes four months after the administration of Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin's parent company MWB Group.
KSL said it planned to invest "significantly" in the brands' 27 hotels. Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin chief executive Gary Davis, who was appointed in January 2012 from De Vere Village, remains at the helm.
KSL said that Malmaison would continue its brand development plans including an extensive renovation program and expansion within the UK, European and international markets.
Existing plans include the opening of a new Malmaison hotel in Dundee in September 2013 and the conversion of an existing property in St. Andrews to a Hotel du Vin in early 2014.
Davis said: "We are delighted to welcome KSL as the new owners of the Malmaison and Hotel du Vin brands and are excited to be working with them. They have recognised the significant potential in our business. We look forward to leveraging their considerable expertise, which combined with the talent in our own senior leadership team, will further develop our leading hotel brands."
"Despite the wider challenging economic climate, we are proud of the strong operational and financial position that the hotels currently enjoy," Davis added. "Building on these foundations, we look forward to taking the dynamic brands onward into a period of exciting growth over the coming years."
Richard Weissmann, a partner at KSL, added: "At KSL, we look for unique travel and leisure businesses with strong management teams to help support and grow. Malmaison and Hotel du Vin occupy a strong position in the UK market. With an exceedingly loyal following, we believe each brand has tremendous potential for further growth and expansion. We are pleased to be working with the company's talented management team."
Both Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin were founded in 1994
KSL has offices in Denver, Colorado and New York. Its UK portfolio includes the Belfry in the West Midlands.