A new brand of urban, lifestyle hotels is to be created from a portfolio of UK properties acquired by the Starwood Capital Group over the past two years. The brand, as yet unnamed, will comprise the Hotel Russell in London; Royal York hotel in York; the Palace Hotel in Manchester; the Blythswood and the Grand Central both in Glasgow and three hotels in Edinburgh:  the Bonham Hotel, the George Hotel and the Roxburgh Hotel.

An investment pot of £100million has been allocated to fund the renovations and expansions that will be required to create the new brand identity.

Work has already begun on the renovation of the George Hotel in Edinburgh (pictured left) and the Royal York in York. Work on the remainder will start later in 2015. The new brand will be launched in 2016, once all the renovations have been completed.

Starwood Capital is an American private investment firm. They have been on a spending spree in the UK over the last two years starting in February 2013 with the acquisition of the Principal Hayley Group of 22 four star hotels in the UK and one near Paris. The group has since added De Vere Venues, Four Pillars Hotels and the Town House Collection.