Claridge’s owner looking to develop fifth UK hotel

The owner of Claridge’s is reportedly planning to develop a new UK hotel in Hampshire as part of global expansion plans.

Maybourne, which is also behind the luxury Connaught, Berkeley and Emory hotels (pictured) in London, is looking to open a site in a historic building in the south-east county, according to the FT.

It will form part of plans to triple the size of the business, which includes four London hotels and one each in Beverly Hills and the French Riviera, by 2035.

“We would end up being, probably by the end of the decade, at maybe 15, 16 or 17 hotels . . . mainly in urban gateway cities,” Maybourne’s co chief executive Marc Socker told the FT.

Half of the new openings would be management contract only, rather than under Maybourne’s ownership.

Other projects in development include a hotel and serviced apartments in the former defence ministry building in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, as well as new build sites in Dubai and New York.

Maybourne’s expansion comes amid a boom in luxury travel, with average daily room rates for luxury hotels rising 42% between 2019 and 2023, according to CBRE.

Over the summer the group opened the Emory, its first new London property in 50 years, featuring 61 suites starting from around £1,600 a night and a restaurant from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Maybourne saw turnover rise 39.9% in 2023 to £29.1m, although pre-tax losses widened from £6.1m to £11.1m due to interest accrued on intercompany loans.