Ares Real Estate and EQ Group have sold three Accor-branded hotels in the UK to SanRaj Group’s international hospitality platform.
Clearsense Ventures has acquired the 196-key Novotel Leeds Centre, the 141-key Novotel Glasgow Centre and the 141-key Ibis Glasgow assets, marking its second hotel acquisition in the UK, following its market entry earlier this year.
Financial details were undisclosed.
Ares Real Estate and EQ partnered in May 2024 to acquire a portfolio of 21 UK hotels from Landsec in a £400m (€457.51m) deal involving assets let to AccorInvest.
Hussein Sunderji, EQ Group, said: “From acquisition to exit in just 18 months, the EQ team, together with Ares, successfully optimised trading performance despite the headwinds facing the UK hotel market in 2024 and 2025.
“These high-quality assets occupy prime regional locations, and we are confident that Sanraj is the right partner to lead their next phase of growth.”
Rajdipkumar Gupta, director, Clearsense Ventures, said: “The portfolio offers a strong combination of scale, brand strength and regional market exposure, which is central to how we evaluate hospitality investments. Assets of this quality, supported by global brands and established operating partners, are well positioned to benefit from sustained demand in key UK cities.
“We believe this acquisition provides a solid foundation for long-term performance as we continue to deploy capital selectively in the UK.”
Sandipkumar Gupta, director, Clearsense Ventures, said: “This acquisition reflects our growing conviction in the UK hospitality sector. Regional UK cities present compelling opportunities, supported by strong operating fundamentals and trusted global brands.
“As we expand our footprint in the UK, we remain focused on assets that combine operational resilience with long-term value creation.”
William Duffey, head of EMEA hotels & hospitality at JLL, the marketing agent for the sellers, said: “We continue to see strong appetite from international investors for UK regional hospitality assets, particularly those aligned with global brands and experienced operators.
“This transaction highlights the depth of offshore capital targeting resilient hotel markets across the UK.”
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