Our Hotels Group understands the opportunities and challenges facing participants in this sector. Hotels are dealing with unprecedented challenges brought upon them by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit – closures, restrictions on international travel, access to EU workers – uncertainty is the new normal. As the Hotel industry reacts and adapts to these difficulties, there are likely to be more distressed hotels and insolvencies, as well as a rise in M&A activity, as many new opportunities come into play.
In these times, clients need advisers that understand the sector and can help them to protect and maximise the value of their investments.
Our knowledge and experience spans the range of issues affecting the hotel industry and all parts of the market; from economy to luxury; working with developers, operators, owners, landlords and investors.
We advise on the acquisition and divestment of individual hotels and portfolios, franchising and management arrangements, employee issues, data protection, technology arrangements, construction and development, taking on investment, tax issues, negotiating with suppliers and insolvency issues.
On the disputes side, we have acted on a number of significant disputes involving luxury hotels that have proceeded to hearing or trial stage, many of which cover the operational aspects of a hotel business including finances, valuation and refurbishments. Our Finance and Banking litigation team can advise on any dispute involving a hotel in relation to ownership, financing or otherwise, including before formal proceedings commence and should there be any changes in the financial landscape – ensuring the best outcome possible for the business, assisted by our in-depth commercial knowledge and understanding of the sector.