Hand Picked Hotels aims for 20 by 2012
Country house hotel group Hand Picked Hotels has increased its portfolio to 17 with the acquisition of three new properties for an undisclosed sum. The company, owned by former City lawyer Julia Hands, is buying the three from the Bridgehouse Hotel Group. They are the GradeII listed, 57-bedroom Hendon Hall Hotel in North London; the Grade II listed, 72-bdroom Audleys Wood Hotel in Basingstoke; and the Grade I listed, 60-bedroom New Hall Hotel in Sutton Codfield, 20 minutes from Birmingham Airport. Their aim is to have 20 hotels by 2012 in strategic positions across the UK and these three hotels are a great fit for their existing portfolio. Hand Picked has to date spent more than ₤70m developing its existing 14 hotels to stimulate growth in conferences, leisure, weddings and health club/spas.