Industry
Firmdale reports record London revenues, up 15 per cent
UK: Boutique hotel group Firmdale has witnessed record revenues last year, almost doubling to £192.6 million.
Movers and Shakers
Firmdale appoints London director of operations
UK: Laura Sharpe has been promoted from her former position as general manager of Ham Yard Hotel in London to director of operations at Firmdale.
Supplier
130 Nordic Choice Hotels to start using ALICE by 2020
US: ALICE – a hotel operations platform – has announced it will expand its business with Nordic Choice Hotels to 130 properties. ALICE will become the brand standard operations tool for four Nordic Choice brands: Comfort Hotel, Quality Hotel, Clarion Hotel, and Clarion Collection. Features include the ALICE Suite, which
Hotel
February 27th opening for The Whitby, Firmdale’s second New York hotel
US: Tim and Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels will open The Whitby in midtown Manhattan on February 27th. US: Tim and Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels will open The Whitby in midtown Manhattan on February 27th. The Whitby is described as “a celebration of contemporary art and design”, and joins
Features
Boutique hotels: what to remember when dealing with banks
Andrew Harrington looks at how to avoid interest rate swap issues when dealing with your bank. The Firmdale case featured in Boutique Hotel News in July 2015 is interesting. It highlights how interest rate swap derivatives, a sometimes inflexible product can complicate or restrict lending arrangements and potentially disrupt the
Industry
Firmdale in £28 million legal battle with Barclays
UK: Boutique hotel operator Firmdale Holdings is in dispute with Barclays over interest rates swaps. UK: Boutique hotel operator Firmdale Holdings is in dispute with Barclays over interest rates swaps. A report in The Telegraph says the company, which is run by husband and wife team Tim and Kit Kemp,
Firmdale launches London serviced apartments
UK: Boutique hotel operator Firmdale has opened its One Denman Place serviced apartment development in London. UK: Boutique hotel operator Firmdale has opened its One Denman Place serviced apartment development in London. The 24 one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced apartments are located within the newly opened Ham Yard Hotel in
Industry
Boutique hotels were strongest rate performers in 2013 London hotel market
UK: Research from business advisors BDO says London boutique hotels were more successful in raising their rates in 2013 than all other sectors of the capital’s hotel industry. BDO’s Hotel Britain report assessed information from the large hotel groups, individual properties and boutique operators including Firmdale Hotels, Red Carnation Hotels,
Supplier
Symon provides digital employee communications for Firmdale
UK: Firmdale Hotels is using the Symon employee digital communication system to raise awareness of vacancies in the company. After a series of consultations Symon installed a 55″ LED display in the back-of-house “Family Room” within The Soho Hotel as an initial trial. This display was also accompanied by the
Supplier
Firmdale partners with Taxeo VAT recovery service
UK: Firmdale Hotels has teamed up with Taxeo in a bid to cut the cost of business travel for its guests. Taxeo is a European VAT recovery service provider which automates the recovery of UK VAT for its overseas corporate clients. Firmdale has adapted existing Micros Opera software at its