RBH Hospitality Management has taken over the operation of three unbranded IHG properties.

Effective October 1 The Principal York, Wotton House in Surrey and The Met Hotel Leeds are no longer being managed by IHG – reservations have been closed out going forward on the group’s website for The Principal York and The Met Hotel Leeds, although at the time of writing Wotton House appears to still be available for booking.

The three hotels are a legacy of a 2018 agreement between IHG and real estate investment company Fonciere des Regions, which purchased 13 properties under the Principal Hotels and De Vere brands.

IHG to add 13 luxury and upscale properties in the UK

IHG took over the management of the properties, and most of them were used to expand the Kimpton brand in the UK, but the above three hotels remained unbranded.

RBH was selected by investment company Covivio to manage the properties, and in a statement the group said that the signing “marks a significant change in the third-party management sphere, as currently few luxury properties have been managed by third-party operators and is a strong validation of RBH’s credentials in this space”.

It’s not clear if the hotels will ultimately be rebranded, or remain as independent properties – the press release from RBH said that the group would oversee a full refurbishment of The Met Hotel Leeds.

Commenting on the news David Hart, CEO of RBH Hospitality Management, said:

“This marks one of the most significant achievements in RBH’s growth in recent years. Developing a new partnership with Covivio Hotels, given their unparalleled reputation both here in the UK and across Europe, will be instrumental in our plan to disrupt the luxury market and we see significant further growth potential with Covivio Hotels over the coming years.

“Overcoming our competition to manage these three properties is testament to the extraordinary experience, track record and enthusiasm of our team and we can’t wait to get going.”

ihg.com, rbhmanagement.com