A new collection of independent luxury hotels has launched under the Elegant Hotel Collection banner.
The soft brand initially counts 25 properties under its portfolio, including Stapleford Park in Melton Mowbray, Sunborn Hotel Gibraltar, Paresa Resort Phuket in Thailand, La Sultana Oualidia in Morocco, and Cresta Palace Hotel in St Moritz.
Six hotels under the existing Exclusive Collection have also joined the collection – Royal Berkshire, Pennyhill Park in Surrey, South Lodge in Sussex, Lainston House in Winchester, The Manor House in Wiltshire, and Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire.
The collection will operate under an invitation-only basis, with plans to expand to 50 properties globally by summer 2024.
The group said that member properties had been selected “to embody the five elements of the Elegant brand – Hospitality, Authenticity, Inclusivity, Innovation, and Sustainability”.
Customers will be able to book stays at member hotels directly through eleganthotelcollection.com, with member distribution powered by HotelREZ.
Elegant will join established soft brand collections including Leading Hotels of the World and SLH (Small Luxury Hotels).
The launch also comes at a time when larger hotel groups are growing their independent hotel portfolios, from the Curio Collection by Hilton to Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and Accor’s recently launched Handwritten Collection aimed at independent hotels in the midscale segment.
Accor launches midscale Handwritten Collection
Commenting on the news Catt McLeod, vice president brand development, Elegant Hotel Collection, said:
“We are thrilled to be launching the Elegant Hotel Collection and raising the profile of these exceptional hotels.
“Elegant Hotel Collection offers a compelling alternative to traditional legacy brands, delivering a fresh, dynamic and comprehensive approach to luxury representation. The Elegant Hotel Collection is underpinned by a full suite of global partnerships and marketing solutions along with best-in-class technology.”
“Many independent luxury properties have been questioning the return on investment from their current representation and have been left behind in the race to find meaningful routes to market.
“We will enable them to find their own voice and thrive, providing personalised support, global distribution, and critically both incremental growth with a positive financial return. The key to this is enhancing the unique identities and awareness of these wonderful hotels.
“The leadership team at Elegant Hotel Collection brings with it decades of experience in the hotel sector. We pride ourselves on offering creative revenue generating initiatives alongside a programme of marketing, distribution and sales which will ensure that sales channels are optimised and driving measurable returns.”