Millennium Hotel London Mayfair to be rebranded after £50m renovation

Following the signing of management franchise agreement with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (M&C), Hilton is to launch its new luxury brand, LXR Hotels & Resorts, into Europe with the opening of the Biltmore Hotel in London’s Mayfair district.

Currently undergoing a £50m redevelopment, the 308-bedroom hotel on Grosvenor Square near Hyde Park, will be transformed from what was previously the 336-bedroom Millennium Hotel London Mayfair, the latest addition to the LXR Hotels & Resorts portfolio. Due to be re-opened of Spring 2019, the property has been closed since July 2018 for renovations.

The rebranding of the hotel includes a new Hilton badge, which marks a change of heart by property owner M&C, as it was originally going to join its own luxury brand Leng’s Collection, representing the name of the companies chairman, Kwek Leng Beng. Hilton will operate the new Mayfair hotel under a 10-year management franchise agreement, however, M&C (a London unit of Singapore property giant City Developments) have the option to take over the hotels operations under the LXR brand after five years.

To be officially known as the Biltmore Mayfair – LXR Hotels & Resorts, the hotel features interiors designed by Goddard Littlefair, a popular designer who’s worked with the Gleneagles hotel in Scotland.

The full details of restaurants and facilities have yet to be announced, however, it was revealed that the renovated hotel will include a year-round alfresco terrace and cocktail bar. There will also be a ballroom for up to 70 guests, plus a gym.

Patrick Fitzgibbon from Hilton said: “The Biltmore Mayfair is a stunning addition to the new collection and prestigious extension to Hilton’s growing luxury portfolio in London. Guests will experience first-class service in the heart of Mayfair, and the unique craftsmanship and historic surroundings of the hotel will make for a truly memorable stay.”

Chairman of M&C, Kwek Leng Beng, explained the refurbishing is all “part of the group’s repositioning of the former four-star property as a new five-star deluxe hotel”. The Hilton and M&C partnership is nothing fresh, Leng Beng further adds: “We are familiar with Hilton, having partnered with them on several hotel management contracts such as Millennium Seoul Hilton, Millennium Bangkok Hilton, and Millennium Hilton New York.”

Hiltons LXR Hotels & Resorts is intended to be a luxury brand for independent hotels, with the first of its new breed opening last year in Dubai, at the 234-bedroom Habtoor Palace.

Hilton has a portfolio of 16 brands, compromising more than 5,500 properties in 109 countries. Millennium & Copthorne Hotels owns and manages more than 130 hotels across 4 brands: Leng’s Collection, M Collection, Millennium Collection and Copthorne Collection.