Malmaison Group (Malmaison), the owner of leading UK boutique hotel brands Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, and KSL Capital Partners, LLC (KSL), are pleased to announce that an affiliate of KSL has acquired Malmaison. KSL, based in Denver, Colorado, is a U.S. private equity firm dedicated to investing in travel and leisure businesses.
With 27 hotels, the transaction will cement Malmaison and Hotel du Vin’s position as the UK’s leading boutique brands, with KSL planning to invest significantly in the existing portfolio and in the growth of both hotel brands. The investment will support the current development strategy initiated by CEO Gary Davis.
Under the leadership of Mr. Davis and KSL, Malmaison will continue its brand development plans including an extensive renovation program and expansion within the UK, European and international markets. Mr. Davis, who previously led the expansion of the De Vere Group’s Village Hotel portfolio and the global expansion programs at Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood, was appointed CEO of Malmaison in January 2012.
KSL is committed to growing Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, with a number of investment initiatives underway, including the opening of a new Malmaison hotel in Dundee in September 2013 and the conversion of an existing property in St. Andrews to a Hotel du Vin in early 2014.
Mr. Davis commented, “We are delighted to welcome KSL as the new owners of the Malmaison and Hotel du Vin brands and are excited to be working with them. They have recognized the significant potential in our business. We look forward to leveraging their considerable expertise, which combined with the talent in our own senior leadership team, will further develop our leading hotel brands.”
“Despite the wider challenging economic climate, we are proud of the strong operational and financial position that the hotels currently enjoy,” Mr. Davis added. “Building on these foundations, we look forward to taking the dynamic brands onward into a period of exciting growth over the coming years.”
Richard Weissmann, a partner at KSL, added, “At KSL, we look for unique travel and leisure businesses with strong management teams to help support and grow. Malmaison and Hotel du Vin occupy a strong position in the UK market. With an exceedingly loyal following, we believe each brand has tremendous potential for further growth and expansion. We are pleased to be working with the company’s talented management team.”
Source: KSL Capital Partners
