Geneva’s Le Richemond hotel joins Dorchester Collection

To further position itself as one of the leading luxury hotels in Geneva and in line with the standards of Dorchester Collection, Le Richemond will undergo a refurbishment, primarily of its public areas including the restaurant and bar, as well as its suites. The hotel will remain open during this time and any guest disruption will be minimised.

Commenting on this new addition to Dorchester Collection, Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Officer of the group, said: 'We are delighted to have been chosen to operate the illustrious Le Richemond as its excellent situation complements our existing locations, which are some of the best in the world. We set out our vision to grow our portfolio of luxury hotels and to seek management agreements, so this being our first third-party management agreement is an exciting strategic addition.'

Francois Delahaye, Dorchester Collection's Chief Operating Officer, will be responsible for the property and oversee the transition to integrate the hotel into the Dorchester Collection brand. Mr Delahaye said: 'We are looking forward to positioning Le Richemond at the centre of Geneva society and playing an active role in the local community, as well as welcoming the hotel's staff to our company. We trust that with the planned refurbishment of the public areas this iconic landmark will have a renewed vibrancy synonymous with Dorchester Collection.'

Le Richemond will be Dorchester Collection's eighth hotel when the management agreement commences in August. The group recently announced the pending sale of The New York Palace to Northwood Investors, which is due for completion on 12 July 2011, as it is not strategically aligned with the Dorchester Collection's brand, primarily due to the large number of rooms. In September 2011 the group will open its ninth hotel, 45 Park Lane, London, and in October 2011 the legendary Hotel Bel-Air, which has been closed for a major renovation, will re-open.