The UK gains four Kimpton hotels and one InterContinental as it rebrands Principal Hotels

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• BJ says:

  27 Jul27 July 06:14

  I like the ‘sound’ and location of mamy of these hotels. Definitely a boost for IHG in the UK if looking for something nicer and with a bit more charm than their usual suspects. Hopefully we will see some decent introductory points rates as is usually the case with new IHG properties.

  There seems to be a lot of consolidation around the big chains in the UK in recent years, I am wondering if the Village Hotel group might be next to join one of the big chains.

• Matt says:

  27 Jul27 July 07:14

  Great to see an intercontinental coming back to Edinburgh. When will this be bookable? I’d consider that property for the ambassador 2-4-1.

• TGLoyalty says:

  27 Jul27 July 07:25

  The Grand in Birmingham is going through an extensive refurb and would be great if that was also an intercontinental as Birmingham lacks real top end hotels. Suspect it’ll end up a kimpton or Indigo though

• Lewis says:

  27 Jul27 July 07:31

  Hmmm…. I’ve got a few nights booked at one of the Indigo’s on New Year’s Eve… is happily switch to the “New Intercontinental” if it was open by then…

  • Chris says:

    27 Jul27 July 08:16

    Late 2019 for the change to IC according to the IHG press release yesterday.

• Stu N says:

  27 Jul27 July 07:58

  The two Edinburgh hotels are very smart; they have clearly had a lot of money spent on them. Edinburgh really is spoilt for high end city centre hotels – Waldorf Caledonian, Principal Charlotte Sq (once the Roxburghe), George, Balmoral, G&V on Royal Mile all of which have had significant amounts of money spent on them in the last 5 years or so.

  Plenty of boutique options too. If anyone is up here then have a look at Chester Apartments; one of the nicest places I have stayed.

  • BJ says:

    27 Jul27 July 08:47

    You forgot the Hilton Club Wing at Haymarket, in a class all of its own!

    • Colin JE says:

      27 Jul27 July 13:24

      The George, as it was known, is the Principal George St, so it’ll be the Intercontinental. Surprising, as to my mind the Principal Charlotte Sq is the grander of the two.

• Kip says:

  27 Jul27 July 08:01

  ‘the regions…’ drives me nuts.

  Rob – It’s not the 1950’s any more… I believe people are comfortable with the concept of ‘Scotland’.

  • Matt says:

    27 Jul27 July 08:11

    I thought the same when I read the article. Made me think of the Hunger Games!

    • AC says:

      27 Jul27 July 09:01

      … in the provinces???

  • Mark2 says:

    27 Jul27 July 08:58

    of course Scotland is included as a region!

    • sunguy says:

      27 Jul27 July 10:51

      So, do we put London or Yorkshire down as a region – and then place them in the same bucket as a country (Scotland) ?

      So what do we call Lothian, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Aberdeenshire, etc ?

      ….The English Broadcasting Corporation does it again…..and forces people to think that countries (Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) are all just regions

      • BJ says:

        27 Jul27 July 13:41

        If we want to be correct about it then England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all regions, not countries or nations. The only recognised nation is the United Kingdom. Barring a truly massive shift in demography or electoral patterns Scotland will becone a nation state in the next 5-15 years. The way things are going at the monent though I would not be surprised if Northern Ireland leaves the Union first.

      • Matt says:

        27 Jul27 July 13:49

        If you define country by a sovereign state recognised by the United Nations then only the UK is a country. Another definition I use is if you can get a passport from that country which again means only the UK is a country. I had this debate a few weeks ago with my colleagues!

      • Genghis says:

        27 Jul27 July 17:03

        Strictly speaking the UK is a state, not a nation. The UK is arguable not really a nation-state either given the different “nations” of England, Scotland, Wales, NI etc

      • Alan says:

        27 Jul27 July 20:08

        Certainly hope that doesn’t prove to be the case, BJ! Big differences by city too – Glasgow/Dundee very pro-independence, Edinburgh and many other areas pro-union!

      • BJ says:

        27 Jul27 July 22:48

        @Alan, I feel comfortable either way, I am perfectly happy to stay in the Union and equally confident and happy to go independent. I would prefer independence were it not to be so devisive, both within Scotland and the Union but it is obvious this would not be the case. Still, with the passing of time then hopefully the acrimony would pass too. Irrespective of my own views I am certain that Scotland will leave the Union within the next two decades, I simply do not see the age/voting trends changing. For this reason alone I think we would be best just to end the uncertainty and get on with it so I will be voting yes next time. That Edinburgh failed to vote yes last time amazes me, I would have thought the city had more to gain from independence than any other part of the country.

  • Leo says:

    27 Jul27 July 09:03

    The article is not just about Scotland.

    • Leo says:

      27 Jul27 July 09:06

      Although the only new IC is in Scotland I’ll grant you.

  • Rob says:

    27 Jul27 July 10:19

    Clearly Anika isn’t 🙂

    • BJ says:

      27 Jul27 July 10:47

      I think it was the editorial oversight he took exception to, Anika can do no wrong 🙂

  • G00NFACE says:

    27 Jul27 July 12:16

    It’s a classic London in-ward looking comment 😉

• Chris says:

  27 Jul27 July 08:13

  Great to see the George back as an IC although as I said on FT yesterday I don’t understand why it is going to take until mid/late 2019 to convert it given the current standard of the property.

  I’d like to see the Grand Central rebranded as an IC as well although I suspect it will be Voco or something else.

  I’m also surprised at The Russell going to Kimpton, I thought they might have chanced their arm with a third IC in London.

  • Matt says:

    27 Jul27 July 08:22

    The article says the Principle George Street will become an IC later this year. Is this a mistake?

    • Chris says:

      27 Jul27 July 08:36

      I think so.

      From the IHG press release

      ‘InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the largest luxury hotel brand in the world, will be returning to the historical Principal Edinburgh George Street. The property will be re-branded as an InterContinental by late next year.”

      • Matt says:

        27 Jul27 July 09:01

        Ah that’s a shame I was thinking about booking a trip up there for Christmas time this year. I hope it’s taking that long due to contractual reasons rather than because they want to to refurb the property as it looks fantastic just the way it is? Just switch the branding above the door and that’s it?

        • Rob says:

          27 Jul27 July 10:15

          You’ll find that the IHG brand standards manual is hundreds of pages long and covers everything from the power of the in-room hairdryers down to the type of coffee that can be served and how it is served.

      • Rob says:

        27 Jul27 July 10:17

        Doh, sorry.

  • Rob says:

    27 Jul27 July 10:18

    …. and possible downgraded Greenwich.

• Traveler says:

  27 Jul27 July 10:15

  I think of Intercontinentals having a Club Lounge but I don’t think the Principal Edinburgh George St presently has one? Am. I right?

  • ColinJE says:

    27 Jul27 July 13:27

    Nope, not as far as I know. Perhaps that’s why it’ll be taking longer to convert.

  • Leo says:

    27 Jul27 July 18:15

    There isn’t one in the IC Avenue Marceau.

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