Hotel investor and operator L+R Hotels has sold The Trafalgar St James hotel in London to privately owned hotel company Crimson Hotels.
The five star property with 131 rooms is operated under a Curio Collection franchise with Hilton and is on a long leasehold with the Crown Estate.
The hotel prominently fronts Trafalgar Square and is within walking distance of London’s top tourist attractions.
Amenities include several food and beverage outlets and rooftop bar with unique views, while a new restaurant on the ground floor will be run by a high-end Asian restaurant group.
Will Duffey, head of EMEA hotels & hospitality capital markets at JLL said: ‘The sale of The Trafalgar St James reinforces the strong demand for key locations and product in the capital and the pricing achieved is illustrative of stronger-than-even investor appetite to secure prime real estate.’
Aly Kassam, CEO at Crimson Hotels commented: ‘We are delighted to have acquired The Trafalgar St James, allowing us to further expand our portfolio and solidify our presence in London. The hotel will complement our existing portfolio and strengthens our ongoing relationship with Hilton.’
Neil Kirk, COO at L+R Hotels added: ‘The Curio Trafalgar Square, led by an outstanding team, has performed magnificently over the last year despite all the legacy challenges from the pandemic. We are sorry to see the hotel leave L+R Hotels, but we received a compelling proposal from a buyer who performed as they said they would, and who will have the opportunity to take the performance to the next level.’
Federico Ciampi, the current general manager of 100 Queen’s Gate, has been promoted to the role of cluster general manager, while Cem Ceglar will be hotel manager.
The Trafalgar St James is the second Hilton Curio Collection acquisition for Crimson Hotels, after 100 Queen’s Gate Hotel in South Kensington.
