The Town House Collection Hotels History

Peter Taylor, Chairman and founder of The Town House Collection, opened Channings Hotel, Edinburgh in May 1990. He transformed it into a stylish 3 star Edwardian town house hotel of forty-eight bedrooms, with a Brassiere and bar. Channings was the first quality 'town house' hotel in Edinburgh at a time when such properties were becoming fashionable as hotels. It met such critical factors as size, location, style and star rating offering a 'country house hotel in town' with a 'club-like' feel.

It met its first major challenge with the advent of a recession and the Gulf War just 6 months after opening. It survived by quickly reacting to market conditions in terms of rate and business type and survived on high occupancy low margin business. Within 3 years of opening the team was able to shift business into higher rate categories with greater occupancies, and with a clear marketing message Channings soon became one of Edinburgh's fashionable 'places to stay'.

In December 1995 the company purchased The Howard in Edinburgh. The hotel had undergone a major redevelopment by its previous owner, but had traded in receivership for 5 years. The Howard fitted well with Channings' boutique style whilst operating in the 5 star arena, adding a new dimension to the company's portfolio. The Howard is made up of three beautifully and traditionally restored Georgian town houses, with 18 bedrooms and has become an elite five star deluxe hotel.

After simple market research identifying the gap between the existing hotels, the company purchased a third property in August 1997. The Bonham, which opened in May 1998, is made up of three Victorian town houses with contemporary interior. It matches the portfolio of extremely successful 'boutique-style' properties within the company, being positioned at the top end of the 4 star market.

In October 2002 Peter Taylor purchased The Edinburgh Residence, a collection of 29 luxury town house suites, offering a refreshing alternative to a 5 star hotel. The venue has a town house hotel feel and lends itself well to the boutique image favoured by The Town House Collections's existing customers and discerning top-end travellers. Situated in Edinburgh's West End, close to both the city's financial district and main shopping area, it is set in a peaceful yet central location, only minutes walk from Edinburgh's main attractions.

The latest addition to the collection is recently purchased Blythswood Square, situated in Glasgow, which is one of Glasgow's most famous historical buildings, the former Royal Scottish Automobile Club. This hotel is due to be open for business in Spring 2009. When complete, the Georgian building will be a five star property with 88 luxury bedrooms, plus suites, a penthouse and apartments, and will incorporate many aspects of the original building. It will also house a state-of-the art spa and extensive conference facilities.