Acquisitions & Hotel Openings

Macdonald to Manage 32-room Country House Hotel in Newbury, Berkshire, England

At Donnington Grove Country Club

EDINBURGH, Scotland - February 20, 2012 - Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, the UK's largest privately owned hotel operator with over forty 4 and 5 star hotels throughout the UK and Spain, has further increased its market presence by signing a management contract with the owner of Donnington Grove Country Club in Newbury, Berkshire.

The agreement gives Macdonald Hotels & Resorts management control of the prestigious 18th century, 32 bedroom hotel, renowned for the quality of its conference, championship golf, fishing and clay pigeon facilities.

The owners, Sandtrend Ltd, retain the management of the pro shop, golf and estate pursuits.

Offering guests spectacular views from the hotel, the River Lambourn runs through 550 acres of the picturesque estate comprised of woodland and mature parkland.

The current staff will be retained in the deal that means Macdonald Hotels & Resorts now manage the country club hotel on behalf of the current owners.

The terms of the agreement will also see the Donnington Grove Country Club retain its own brand identity while Macdonald Hotels & Resorts will steadily implement its hotel-wide operational practices, controls and quality standards.

Referring to the arrangement, Chris Gillett, Managing Director, Macdonald Hotels Management Services Ltd, commented: "Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is very pleased to have agreed a management contract with this wonderful Hotel & Country Club.

"This agreement will further strengthen our portfolio along the M4 corridor and appeal to our discerning business, leisure and conference guests who seek the reassurance and quality of product and service offered by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.

"Nigel Green, the general manager of the Donnington Grove Country Club and a former employee of Macdonald Hotels is familiar with our high professional standards. As a company we now look forward to supporting Nigel and his staff in further developing the potential of this beautifully appointed country house hotel."

The Gothic styled house dates back to 1763. Overlooked by Donnington Castle, the original mansion house was built by James Pettit - Andrews. Following its sale to William Brummell in 1783, the house was transformed into a country estate.

The property was requisitioned in 1940 for Allied Supplies Ltd. In the 1990's, Dave Thomas, one of Britain's foremost golf architects was tasked with creating a golf course in keeping with the listed landscape gardens. The construction of the course started in November 1991 and on the 12 June 1993 the Donnington Grove Country Club opened. Sandtrend Ltd purchased the estate in 2004.

About Macdonald Hotels:
First established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues Macdonald Hotels & Resorts operates over 40 hotels across the UK, including Oxford hotels, hotels in Manchester, Bath hotels, Windsor hotels, and Edinburgh hotels. The company also operates ten resorts throughout the UK and Spain and employs over 4,400 staff and operates in excess of 4,500 hotel rooms. Its focus is on developing its strong portfolio of four and five star hotels, with each offering its own character and individuality underpinned with the quality and attention to detail expected of the Macdonald brand. In particular, the company prides itself on the seasonality and provenance of its food within the hotels, from breakfast through to dinner, as well as its wide range of specially selected wines. As testament to the excellent level of service the Group provides, it has on numerous occasions won several prestigious accolades, most notably the AA Hotel Group of the Year 2007-08 and the National Customer Service Awards for Leisure and Tourism.

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