The Biltmore Mayfair on London’s Grosvenor Square has announced plans to debrand from Hilton’s LXR collection, and will operate independently from 1 May.
The 307-room hotel previously operated as the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair until 2019 when it reopened as the Biltmore Mayfair, LXR Hotels & Resorts following an 18-month, £60 million renovation project.
It was just the second property to join Hilton’s LXR brand (and the first in Europe), following the rebranding of The St Regis Dubai Al Habtoor City in 2018.
Business Traveller reviewed The Biltmore Mayfair shortly after it reopened.
In a statement the hotel said:
“The Biltmore Mayfair announces it will take full ownership of management internally and will operate independently 1st May 2024. This direction is following the managements’ team strategy to elevate The Biltmore hotel brand and expand The Biltmore brand proposition after five successful years of operation.
“The hotel has enjoyed a productive partnership with Hilton and was the first European hotel to open under the prestigious Hilton LXR Hotels & Resorts brand category. The hotel will continue to offer elevated experiences and unrivalled customer service under the new management structure.”
It added that “Guests who are already booked in to stay at the hotel through Hilton Honours after the 1 May will be offered competitive loyalty benefits and personalised service throughout the transition”.
So where does this leave LXR – which was in fact a resurrection of a brand originally launched in 2005 when the Blackstone Group acquired Wyndham International (the LXR branded hotels were then reflagged as Hilton properties in 2007 when Blackstone acquired the group)?
Since its launch the brand has grown to around a dozen properties including locations in Bodrum, Doha, Dubai, Los Angeles and Seattle, and forthcoming destinations including Italy where the existing Grand Hotel Gardone Lake Garda is being renovated ahead of joining LXR in 2026.
Will Hilton now seek to add a prestigious London LXR hotel to replace the hole left by The Biltmore’s debranding?
A spokesperson sent Business Traveller the following statement on the news:
“We wish the team all the best as an independent hotel. We continue to welcome guests to more than 40 hotels across London, including London Hilton on Park Lane, Conrad London St. James and The Trafalgar St. James London, Curio Collection by Hilton. We also look forward to opening our doors to guests at the highly anticipated Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch.”
For our comprehensive guide to hotels which have opened in London in the last the couple of years, click here, and for our look at forthcoming properties in the UK capital, click here.
