Imperial Hotels London makes UK debut with acquisition of Belgravia’s Tophams Hotel
The new group has been set up to acquire and develop hotels, branded residences and leisure outlets in prime central London locations including Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Belgravia, Chelsea and Kensington.
Marbella Club Hotels founder Daniel Shamoon said: “London is a premier world city so we are actively acquiring property in the heart of the capital despite the market being very strong as we see continued growth and opportunities in the real estate and luxury hotel sectors.”
The 50-bedroom Tophams Hotel, situated at 24-32 Ebury Street, will retain its existing management, with a redevelopment of the property currently being considered by Imperial Hotels London.
James Bond inspiration
The hotel was originally five adjoining mansions built in the late 1820s before being combined into a single hotel by the Topham family in the early 1930s.
It became a regular haunt of James Bond author Ian Fleming, who would order martinis from the bars, creating inspiration for the classic Bond phrase ‘shaken not stirred’. In Moonraker, Ebury Street was home to villain Sir Hugo Drax.
Tophams now includes a range of family rooms and junior suites, with a main lobby, reception/lounge areas, restaurant and bar, and an interior design and specification undertaken between 2006 and 2008.
Marbella Club Hotel Group has a collection of hotels and resorts in key city and resort destinations internationally including the Marbella Club Hotel in Spain - the Group’s flagship. The Group generates income by managing and developing hotels and leisure outlets and selling branded private residences in properties within the group portfolio.
