Leonardo Hotels has acquired another hotel in central London, adding to its presence by opening its eleventh property in the UK capital.
The latest addition is the Hotel Saint in Aldgate, a property that the company has acquired, and will immediately convert to its Leonardo format. The 272 room property is a contemporary development, which sits on the eastern edge of the City of London financial district, also being close to a key Underground station.
Another Change of Name
Renaming to the Leonardo Hotel London Aldgate will be yet another iteration of the property, in its short life. The hotel opened in late 2017 as Dorsett City, being the second property in the UK for Asian Group Dorsett Hospitality International.
Dorsett, which is owned by real estate developer Far East Consortium, first acquired the development site in 2012, and spent the following years achieving planning approval and developing the hotel. In all, around GBP65 million was invested in delivering the project.
In 2021, the hotel was sold for a reported GBP115 million to Cerberus Capital Management, who with operator Highgate planned to rebrand the property as an independent hotel. Following a refresh, it opened as Hotel Saint in 2023. Featuring a fourteenth floor skybar, the property joined the lifestyle collection of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Hotel Saint into the Leonardo Hotels family,” commented Jason Carruthers, the managing director of Leonardo Hotels in the UK and Ireland. “Leonardo Hotel London Aldgate represents a perfect blend of modern design, comfort, and prime location. This acquisition underscores our commitment to expanding our presence in London and delivering exceptional experiences to both business and leisure guests.”
For Dorsett, London and the UK remain key destinations where the company is keen to invest. Currently, the group operates two hotels in the conurbation. Dorsett Shepherds Bush is a great base for travellers to the west, while Dorsett Canary Wharf has 231 rooms in a thoroughly modern tower block.
In recent months, Dorsett launched Dao by Dorsett North London, a serviced apartment complex created within a former town hall. The studios, one, two and three bed apartments retain historic elements of the building, creating a place to stay with a unique feel.
Leonardo Grows Across Europe
Elsewhere in the UK, Leonardo has just rebranded another hotel in Manchester. The group acquired the former Hotel Gotham, and is relaunching it as The Rex. The 60 room property is set within a listed former bank building, and will combine a luxury boutique hotel with a private members club.
Leonardo is also pushing to grow further across mainland Europe. It has revealed it wants to add hotels in Italy and Poland, with a strategic growth plan for each of those markets. And in Portugal, Leonardo will launch the 132 room Hotel Corpus Christi Lisboa this coming autumn, being the first property on the Iberian peninsula to join the Leonardo Limited Edition collection.
