Blackstone’s Bourne Leisure’s Warner Hotels Acquires 180-Key The Runnymede Hotel, Egham
Main Photo: The Lounge at the Runnymede Hotel
Date: February 2022
Name: The Runnymede on Thames Hotel & Spa
Location: Egham, Surrey – Close to Heathrow Airport
Number of Keys: 180
Seller: Family-owned Ralph Trustees, owned by Stuart and Daniel Levy
Buyer: Bourne Leisure, under the Warner Leisure Hotels brand – their 16th adults-only hotel, known for short-breaks
Bourne Leisure, which purports to be Britain’s largest UK holiday operator, has continued the expansion of it’s Warner Leisure Hotels portfolio through the acquisition of The Runnymede on Thames Hotel.
The four-star, 180-bedroom hotel is located on the river Thames and will be the sixteenth property in the Warner portfolio.
The property benefits from being in close proximity to London. The hotel is only a 10 minute drive away from the nearby town of Windsor, where local attractions include Windsor Castle, Ascot racecourse and Kew Gardens.
The Runnymede was acquired by Bourne Leisure from Ralph Trustees, owners of The Athenaeum, The Grove and a small serviced apartment operation – Greengarden House, a family-run business which has successfully operated the hotel for 35 years. The Runnymede was their first hotel, having come from a textile business owned by the Levy brothers’ father.
Simon Thompson, Managing Director of Warner Leisure Hotels, commented: “We are proud to announce another fantastic acquisition for Warner, and are delighted to be adding The Runnymede to our portfolio.
“It is a wonderful hotel with a fabulous team in a great location, and this marks an important milestone in our journey as we continue to look for new locations across the UK, expanding our presence to meet the needs of our guests.
“The hotel will be our first in the Greater London area and our guests seeking the perfect place to unwind will benefit from its unique riverside location, well suited for both relaxation and exploring nearby attractions.”
The Runnymede will continue to operate as a standalone hotel prior to its relaunch under the Warner brand.
Warner is the only UK hotel chain to cater exclusively for adults, offering short breaks complete with food and drink, spas and live music.
Other flagship hotels include the recently refurbished Studley Castle in Warwickshire, which opened in 2019 and Heythrop Park in Chipping Norton, which will re-open in summer 2022 after a full refurbishment.
Bourne Leisure was first established in 1964 and welcomes over four million guests each year.
Price: Undisclosed
THPT Comment: The Levy brothers were “new to hotels” when we first met them back in the mid-1980s, and they opened The Runnymede as their first hotel. they went on to open two of the most iconic hotels in London, and the outskirts. Will be interesting to see what Bourne Leisure do with the Runnymede Hotel, given their ethos as an adult-only leisure break operation. We are sure they will do well!
First Seen: Boutique Hotelier
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