Recently in Hotels Category

Firefighters are tackling a blaze at the Hilton Hotel Park Lane, London, forcing the evacuation of guests and staff, including Black Eyed Peas singer Will.I.Am.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) was called to the five-star Mayfair hotel just after 1845 BST, according to the BBC.

Sports journalist Sam Cunningham (@samcunningham), who was among those forced to flee the building, has been live tweeting as events unfolded.

He said at around 2030 BST: "I'm hearing it was caused by a generator on this lower roof. Contained. Could be hours before people let back in."

Around 1,500 people were evacuated from the building while at least four pumps and 20 firefighters tackled the blaze.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage and there have been no reported casualties.

A number of Twitter users have posted photos, including Cunningham (above left) and Lucy O'Dwyer (@LucyODwyer - photo below, taken from a Windows 7 phone):

UPDATE: 2230 BST: Fred Sirieix (@fredsirieix1), general manager of Galvin at Windows - the Michelin-starred restaurant and bar on the 28th floor of the London hotel, said on Twitter: "All ok here on Park Lane. Thank you."

A few minutes later, the London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire), announced on Twitter: "We believe the fire at the Park Lane Hilton is now out but are still checking the hotel's ducting just to make sure." 

One too many visits to some of the capital's culinary hot spots has recently added several unwelcome inches to this sylph-like rodent's girth.  So imagine my delight on hearing that the InterContinental London Park Lane has introduced a "skinny" burger to its menu during London Fashion Week.

With a total of just 143 calories and 2.4g of fat - compared to 9.2g in a normal burger - this is the ideal dish to sup on after a hard day deciding what to buy at some of my favourite designers' catwalk shows. It even has fewer calories than the average sushi lunch.

The "skinny" burger is the creation of InterContinental London Park Lane's executive chef Paul Bates and is made from finely hand-minced buffalo steak, mixed with onions, spices and herbs.

Dry grilled and topped with a baby gem lettuce leaf, ribbons of cucumber and cherry tomatoes, it is accompanied by sugar free salsa, raw baby shallots and coriander cress, and served on a most stylish glass plate. Together with a glass of wild berry iced tea, it costs £20.

"This is no oxymoron," said Bates. "I took time to develop something that really works; the skinny burger is perfect for fashionistas, who want a tasty treat without the calorie guilt."

Well, that's me darlings, I'm off to the InterContinental now. But if anyone is going to join me, they need to hurry as the "skinny" burger is only available until tomorrow - 22 September - the final day of Fashion Week tomorrow.

The Savoy has confirmed the news we've all known about for some time - it has delayed its re-opening until 2010.

On the phone to the hotel's general manager to get a quote on the story, one of Kitchen Rat's colleagues was rather taken aback to hear the choice of hold music.

Thriller by Michael Jackson. Yes, the Michael Jackson who sadly passed away just a few hours ago in LA.

Was it deliberate we wondered?

Probably not if the reaction was anything to go by. "You're joking? We'll have to look at that..."

Perhaps they should look at the Man in the Mirror and Beat It before making such Bad and Dangerous musical choices. There will be Blood on the Dancefloor.

The exclusive Barnsley House hotel, haunt of Gwyneth Paltrow, Liz Hurley and Elton John is the latest to be hit by the crunch.

It's a gorgeous 17th century Cotswold stone pile, near the town of Cirencester, with two pubs, the Village Pub and the Catherine Wheel also under the same ownership. Rooms were priced between £295 and £570.

But all these factors were not enough to save it from administrators KPMG, now running the business for Barnsley House Ltd.

The 70 full- and part-time staff running the hotel are threatened with job losses.

Hotel insolvencies soar as hoteliers face tough 2009 >>

Hotel revpar forecast to plummet by 19% in 2009 >>

It was a bold gambit but today marked the "retirement" of the Purple Hotels brand.

The Real Hotel Group had dared to dream big with Purple and had plans to challenge the likes of Premier Inn to the budget hotel crown. Ultimately it was not to be, and the deployment of "comedian" Lenny Henry proved too much to contend with.

Still as purple-favouring popstar Prince might summise, it could simply of been a sign o' the times, but either way the sale of its three remaining leases today to Travelodge marks the end of this particular economy adventure.

Purple owner the Real Hotel Group (Real Hotel Company) collapsed into administration at the start of this year and appears to be being sold off piecemeal by the administrators with little chance of rescue.

Still, the parting shot that can be found on Purple Hotels's website - borrowed from US author Mark Twain - serves as a fitting epitaph and cautionary tale for us all.

It reads: "A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain."

Farewell Purple Hotels, farewell.

Focus Hotels safeguards 500 Real Hotel Group jobs>>

Black holes and revelations with RHG's Michael Prager>>

Budget hotel spoiler?>>

You can imagine the board room conversation between Alan Parker, the current chief executive of Whitbread, and his right hand man Patrick Dempsey: Parker:

"What are we going to do tonight then Paddy?"

Paddy: "Same thing we do every night Parker, try to take over the world!" At least that's what Dempsey revealed at the Arena event at London's Dorchester hotel today.

Dempsey made no bones about the fact that his main ambition was to one day be at the helm of the "largest budget hotel operator in the world".

He added that the group are looking to the Middle East, where there are currently four to five hotels under development, and India, where there are two.

However, he also said that the company would be opening just four pubs next year, and not 13 as was originally planned, a reflection of the tough conditions the pub industry is facing. Will Premier Inn work all over the world? Thoughts please...

Never ones to miss an opportunity (particularly if it involves jumping on a marketing bandwagon) budget hotel chain Travelodge has written to the speaker of the House Commons to inform them of the savings MPs could make by forgoing their second homes and staying with Travelodge instead. The tongue in cheek plea, a side swipe aimed at the naughty parliament minister Mr McNulty who has claimed £60,000 since 2002 for his second house in his Harrow constituency, the same place his parents live. Tsk tsk...

But hope is here in the shape of a budget bedroom. According to Travelodge, the average cost per MP for their second home allowance is £17,693, but staying at Travelodge London Southwark Monday to Thursday nights whilst Parliament is sitting would cost a maximum of £10,065. You do the maths.

The group also suggests that MPs obtain a Business Account Card, to "secure further discounts" as well as being able to accumulate Argos Reward Points, which will allow them to "furnish their constituency homes without spending any further money".

Perhaps it should also offer budget porn in the hotel rooms for Jacqui Smith's husband? It certainly would be a Room with a View.

Made you look!

Yes, this was just one of the April fool's jokes making the rounds today. The viral email clip launched by pod-style hotel chain Yotel, appeared to show a Russian-made Mil V-12 used as the first ever flying hotelicopter (see what they did there?)

The flying five-star, alas, was a spoof advertisement posted online by an "expert" calling himself Alvin Farley (aka Yotel's head of marketing).

He claimed to have spent five years modifying the helicopter which was said to have had 18 luxurious rooms, queen sized beds, a mini bar, wireless internet, DVD player, whirlpool bath and room service.

But it later emerged that the interior shots were lifted from pod-style hotel chain Yotel's website.

Spokeswoman Jo Berrington said: "It's a little bit tongue in cheek and we are just having some April Fool's day fun but we are always looking at other options for hotel rooms."

Watch this, er, space.

It's easy for older folks to get written off these days, especially if you're beyond the baby boomer generation. Unless of course you're Bill Marriott. The great-grandfather of three and son of the all-American hotel chain's founder JDubya, is definitely still going strong and keeping up with the times, as proved by his blog, which we stumbled across recently...

We are still unaware as to how much Rocco Forte are asking for.

Browns recently underwent a £24m restoration and is home to Mark Hix's Albemarle restaurant.

It joined The Rocco Forte Collection of luxury hotels on 3rd July 2003, but it will be interesting to see if and when it leaves it, and at what price in the current market...