Claridge’s owner planning to nearly triple its portfolio

Claridge’s owner Maybourne is planning to nearly triple its number of hotels in the next decade, according to reports from The Financial Times.

The company, which owns and operates six hotels, four in London and one each in Beverly Hills and the French Riviera, is looking to have 15 to 17 sites by 2035.

Half of these would be by management contract only rather than solely under Maybourne’s ownership.

Maybourne has stated that it will open a hotel and serviced apartments in
Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, renovating the former defence ministry building.

Muzzi said it would be “another historical landmark hotel, similar to the Connaught and Claridge’s in London”.

It is also planning another UK hotel in a historic building in Hampshire, while Dubai and New York hotels will be newly built.

Maybourne is ultimately owned by Qatari royals Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Gianluca Muzzi, co-chief executive, told the FT: “Before, [our focus] was mostly around the hotels  to preserve their identity, but what we are doing now is to establish and strengthen the presence of the management company, Maybourne itself.”

Marc Socker, co-chief executive, added: “Given the golden age of travel and [that] people are looking for new experiences, we want to create a strong management company and a strong lifestyle brand,” Socker said. “Maybourne before was more a [business to business] brand. Now we’re coming out with the consumer brand, and are prepared to enter into these new commercial ventures.”