JLL advises on the sale of The Trafalgar St. James Hotel to Crimson Hotels

JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality team represented the owner in the sale of The Trafalgar St. James, London for hotel investor and operator L+R Hotels.

The hotel has been acquired by Crimson Hotels, a privately owned hotel company.

The hotel comprises 131 rooms and is operated under a Curio Collection franchise with Hilton, and is subject to a long leasehold with the Crown Estate.

The hotel enjoys a prominent location fronting Trafalgar Square and within walking distance of many of London’s key tourist attractions. It is also bolstered by strong amenities, comprising several food and beverage outlets, including a rooftop bar with unparalleled views. A new third-party lease has been signed for a destination restaurant on the ground floor, which will be operated by a high-end Asian restaurant group. 

Will Duffey, Head of EMEA Hotels & Hospitality Capital Markets at JLL said, “The sale of The Trafalgar St. James reinforces the strong demand for key locations and product in the capital and the pricing achieved is illustrative of stronger-than-even investor appetite to secure prime real estate”.

Aly Kassam, CEO at Crimson Hotels said, “We are delighted to have acquired The Trafalgar St. James, allowing us to further expand our portfolio and solidify our presence in London. The hotel will complement our existing portfolio and strengthens our ongoing relationship with Hilton”. 

Neil Kirk, COO at L+R Hotels said, “The Curio Trafalgar Square, led by an outstanding team, has performed magnificently over the last year despite all the legacy challenges from the pandemic. We are sorry to see the hotel leave L+R Hotels, but we received a compelling proposal from a buyer who performed as they said they would, and who will have the opportunity to take the performance to the next level”.