World Travel Market at Excel in London will act as the official launch-pad for Distinguished Hotels International (DHI)…
World Travel Market at Excel in London will act as the official launch-pad for Distinguished Hotels International (DHI), a new marketing and management consortium of more than 130 luxury, independent hotels around the world.
The creation of DHI represents the merger of UK-based Grand Heritage Hotels International with Distinguished Hotels International in the US, incorporating seven hotels managed by the Magna Hospitality Group LLC, whose co-founder and chairman is William Burruss. Its hotel affiliates will be marketed to potential visitors, including leisure travellers, business travellers, company executives, the travel trade and meeting planners through the sales offices in London and New York.
The company is also announcing its expansion in to the Asian marketplace with a new division – Distinguished Hotels of Asia. This will be headed up by Arnut (Kenny) Deeyoo and will be based in Florida. It aims to attract 100 members throughout Asia in the first two years of operation. The first of these to sign up is the all-suite, luxury, boutique residence Siri Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand.
The formation of DHI reunites Burruss – who served as co-founder and president of Grand Heritage Hotels International until the company was sold in 1997 – with Timothy Hadcock-Mackay the current owner and Chairman of Grand Heritage Hotels International, together with his partner, David Owen, CEO. As President, Burruss will strengthen the existing Distinguished Hotels International management team, while Hadcock-Mackay will continue to serve as Chairman, focusing on new hotel membership.
“We will offer leisure and business travellers a ‘one-of-a-kind’ travel experience with very high standards,” Burruss says. “They will be able to choose from a list of more than 130 independent, luxury hotels, castles, chateaux, stately homes, resorts, boutique hotels, health spas and inns located around the world. Unlike chain hotels, each DHI property – whether city centre or resort hotels – will be uniquely different, offering the exceptional amenities and architectural elegance for which Grand Heritage has always been known.”
Timothy Hadcock-Mackay, who will continue to work with the team at the group’s London Sales & Marketing office, has developed the Grand Heritage Hotels International business since its inception 11 years ago, says, “I am delighted to be working again with William Burruss, whom I admire greatly and see this as a significant opportunity to satisfy the growing demand in the marketplace for quality, independent hotels, thereby attracting new members and clients globally.”
DHI’s managed and/or marketed hotels are currently located in the United Kingdom, Ireland, mainland Europe, Africa, the West Indies, Canada, North America and Thailand.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
