The £30m restoration under the US-based real estate development firm Amerimar Enterprises kicked off in January this year, and is due to be completed by the end of this month.
The refurbished St. Ermins in St. James London, which will re-open its doors on 6 April 2011, will retain its name but will bear the MGallery Label.
MGallery growth
Launched by Accor in 2008, MGallery is a collection of upscale hotels currently including 36 hotels in five continents. By late 2011, Accor plans to extend the label to over 40 locations.
Jean-Jacques Dessors, chief operating officer of Accor UK and Ireland said: “The launch of MGallery in London underlines Accor’s ambitious and aggressive expansion plans to grow the UK network to 300 hotels by 2015 as well as increasing Accor’s upscale offering in London"
St. Ermins: ‘approachable luxury’
Amerimar purchased St. Ermins in May 2010 from NH Hotels for £65m. The new MGallery franchise agreement with Accor will give the hotel access to Accor’s distribution channels and booking system.
St. Ermins is Amerimar’s first acquisition and redevelopment outside the US, and the firm’s COO Jon Cummins said the restoration aims to restore the hotel “to its former glory”.
“Joining the MGallery collection continues our work of putting the St. Ermin’s into the very top league of London hotels,” he said.
St. Ermins has 331 bedrooms, including 41 suites. It aims to offer “luxury” with “approachable service”.