The innovative, budget hotel group, Tune Hotels, is continuing its swift expansion into London and will open two new hotels in the capital in the very near future. Tune Hotels currently operates two hotels in the city, the Tune Hotel Westminster and the Tune Hotel Liverpool Street. The Tune Hotel Paddington is scheduled to open for business on 4th June whilst the Tune Hotel Kings Cross is planned to open on 09th July just in time for the Olympics.

To celebrate the opening of its two latest London hotels the group has been offering rooms at just £9 a night over the last couple of months. The chain has made 1,000 rooms available to travelers in each of the two new hotels at the fantastic rate of just £9 a night. Anyone planning a trip to London can take advantage of these promotional deals until February 2013.

The Tune Hotel Paddington is located at 37 Praed Street, a couple of hundred meters from the Edgware Road Underground station and a short walk of just a few minutes to Paddington mainline station. The Hotel will have 137 en-suite bedrooms. Tune Hotel Kings Cross is located on Gray’s Inn Road, just 500 metres from both Kings Cross and St Pancras stations. The hotel will have 217 bedrooms including twin, double and accessible rooms. Guests will also be able to enjoy a large reception area where refreshments will be served. Mark Lankester, Tune Hotels Group CEO, said, “Soon we will have brought to market two additional, brand new hotels in London with Paddington and Kings Cross. That’s another 400 affordable rooms for the visitors that are expected to descend upon London over the summer. We’re delighted to do our part in helping London provide super affordable, centrally located accommodation across our hotels and the £9 rooms will hopefully help make  a London visit all the more enticing.”

The group opened its first hotel in Kuala Lumpur in 2007 and targets those travellers who seek the best possible value for money, be they leisure or business guests. The Tune Hotels business model is based on the low-cost airline structure. They offer low-cost rooms that include high-quality basics, like quality beds, powerful showers, air conditioning and 24 hour security all in a central location. Guests pay extra only for any optional facilities or services they use. And, with typical room rates starting at just £35, the Tune Hotel concept is bound to be welcomed by many people visiting London.

Hilton has just announced the addition of another London hotel to be operated under the DoubleTree brand. The DoubleTree by Hilton London-Victoria will be the brand’s fifth hotel in central London and will be conveniently located just opposite London Victoria Station, providing easy access to National Rail, Gatwick Express and London Underground services.

The 225-bedroom hotel was previously known as the Hesperia London Victoria and will now undergo a multi-phase refurbishment that will greet guests with a new, welcoming lobby space on the ground floor as well as redesigned dining options and other business, conference and leisure facilities that are sure to make this central London hotel a popular choice with business and leisure travellers alike. The new DoubleTree by Hilton London-Victoria is to be operated by Southampton Row Hotel LLP and managed by Crimson Hotel Group. Aly Kassam, director of the Crimson Hotel Group said: “Crimson is delighted to announce the rebranding of this iconic Victoria property to introduce its second DoubleTree by Hilton hotel offering in Central London. We are very excited to work with DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Worldwide on this project and we believe there has never been a better time to invest in hotels in London as we believe the tourism industry in the capital is set to improve further. We have transformed another great hotel asset into a luxurious, yet affordable retreat in the heart of the capital which makes it ideal for both business and leisure travellers.”

There is a wide selection of guestrooms and suites at DoubleTree by Hilton London-Victoria designed to meet the requirements of all travellers. All rooms are comfortable retreats offering sitting area, satellite television with flat screen TVs, trouser press, tea and coffee making facilities, high-speed Internet and Crabtree & Evelyn Citron bath and body products. The hotel also has eight meeting rooms and boardrooms that can accommodate between 10 and 160 delegates. There is a business centre incorporating all the latest technology and concierge services. There is a new restaurant called 2 Bridge Place which has a modern, casual environment providing fine European food for lunch and dinner. The Lounge and Bar is the perfect place for taking snacks, a glass of wine or cup of coffee.

Rob Palleschi, global head of DoubleTree by Hilton, said: “DoubleTree by Hilton is delighted to further strengthen our network of fine UK hotels with another outstanding hotel location in this world gateway city. With the introduction of hotel products like the DoubleTree by Hilton London-Victoria, the DoubleTree by Hilton brand is quickly becoming recognised within the UK and around the world by travelling consumers seeking upscale hotel accommodation along with a personalised, welcoming level of service, style and hospitality.”

Alison Couper from the hotel website said that: “With all eyes on London and the UK this year, it’s no surprise that the rest of the world is searching for accommodation in the capital. We’re continuing to work with hoteliers to ensure we provide hotel rates to suit any Olympic budget. But we are advising visitors from across the globe to book their accommodation as soon as possible whether it be in the city center or across the South East, which is potentially a more affordable option than those looking to stay in the heart of London.”

It is forecast that London hotel prices could increase by as much as 85 per cent in the center of the city around the time of the Olympics even though it is estimated that around 12,000 additional rooms will be available in the capital at that time.

In other good news for the hotel sector in London, a recent survey from TRI Hospitality Consulting found that, despite the tough current economic climate, the average price of a hotel in London during 2011 was £131.03. Profit per room among London hotels was up by 4.7 per cent last year, thanks mainly to a 6.1 per cent increase in revenue per available room. Managing director of TRI, Jonathan Langston, said: “Despite a challenging economic backdrop, London hotels have again outperformed expectations by showing profit growth in 2011.”

Thompson Hotels, the American luxury, boutique hotel chain, will open the doors to its new hotel in London next month. The group has hotels in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago and Miami Beach and the new London hotel is to be called Belgraves. This hotel, which from its name is obviously located in Belgravia, is the first the company will open in the UK and is a joint venture with The Harilela Group. The hotel is located at 20 Chesham Place and, although designed by acclaimed British designer Tara Benerd, oozes New York attitude as well as traditional British hospitality.

“We’re finally ready to open our doors to London” said Jason Pomeranc, a co-owner of Thompson Hotels. “Belgraves is a truly creative collaboration which will have a huge impact on Londoners and international travellers alike”. Stephen Brandman, another owner of Thompson Hotels said, “As with all our Thompson Hotels, guests can expect impeccable service and style from Belgraves.”

Belgraves, which is due to open its doors in London on 1st February, will have 85 rooms and suites, a lounge bar, a restaurant and lobby area. The bedrooms have silver grey wooden floors and are nicely finished with natural grey tones and textures. The aubergine tones on the walls add a touch of warmth whilst elegant marble bathrooms with smoked glass add a touch of luxury. Room facilities include flat screen TVs, Rococo chocolates and Coco De Mer intimacy boxes. All the members of the hotel staff have been selected not only for their professional abilities and skills but also for their personalities which will ensure an additional level of service for the guests.

A large fireplace in an open lobby containing beautiful pieces of art is the first thing that greets the guests on entering the hotel. The lobby also features a library and discreet areas where guests can hide away with a book or newspaper. The hotel also has an 80-seat restaurant called Hix Belgravia offering a menu inspired by chef and food author Mark Hix’s travels around the world. Mark’s Bar, which is to be found on the first floor, leads to a stylish cigar garden where guests can relax and enjoy a Cohiba or Davidoff. Private dining or meetings for up to 22 guests can be held at the hotel and a gym provides opportunities for an energetic work out.

At a recent gala award ceremony run by the World Travel Awards held on 16^th January in Doha, Qatar, Dukes hotel in London received the World’s Ultimate Service Award.

The General manager of Dukes, Debrah Dhugga, collected the award from Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards. Dhugga said she was enormously proud of all her colleagues at the five star, boutique London hotel. “The team’s hard work, passion, and our investment in training and development are the key to success at Dukes,” she said. “I am delighted with this fabulous achievement for the team, which is so very well deserved. It does not matter what style or standard of hotel you are, it is service that is the key product”.

Nominations for the annual World Travel Awards featured more than 5,000 companies in 1,000 categories across 162 countries, with the winners selected by more than 210,000 industry professional and consumers worldwide.

Dukes boutique hotel is a five star establishment with 90 rooms located in a quiet courtyard in Mayfair. It previously won the coveted prize of “England’s Leading Boutique Hotel” at the World Travel Awards in 2011. This London hotel has been welcoming distinguished guests for well over a century. The bar at Dukes has a reputation for serving the finest martinis to be found anywhere in the world and is reputed to be the birthplace of the phrase “shaken, not stirred” immortalised by Ian Fleming’s character James Bond.

Dukes London is also home to the restaurant Thirty Six by Nigel Mendham, an acclaimed hotel dining experience specialising in British cuisine. With its elegant rooms, refurbished suites and strong heritage, this London hotel offers a mix of English charm, exacting standards and discreet luxury that offers guests the opportunity to experience their own unique Mayfair living experience.

The hotel also recently ended its association with CampbellGray Hotels. From 31^st December 2011 Dukes is going it alone and is seeking to expand the brand across Europe, the USA and the Middle East. The hotel which is owned by Seven Tides, previously enjoyed a four-year association with CampbellGray Hotels, but will now expand under the Seven Tides Hotel Management Division with support from general manager Debrah Dhugga and her team.