A large hotel chain has acquired The Grand in Brighton.

Fattal Group, owner of Leonardo Hotels, has today announced that it has bought The Grand on the seafront from Wittington Investments.

Wittington bought The Grand from De Vere for £50 million in 2014. Wittington Investments also owns Richmond Hill Hotel in Richmond, Surrey.

With two other hotels in the city, the deal makes Leonardo the largest hotel operator in Brighton.

The group said it plans to invest significantly in the transformation of rooms and facilities and is committed to retaining the hotel’s “iconic status”.

First opened in 1864, The Grand occupies a prime location on Brighton seafront with unobstructed views over the sea.

The seven-floor hotel has 201 rooms, including seaside facing balcony bedrooms and luxury suites, a restaurant and bar and a dedicated meeting and banqueting space, providing in excess of 1,200 sqm across 13 rooms.

This includes the sea-facing Empress Suite, which can accommodate up to 900 delegates.

 “We are delighted to follow to add another historic and iconic hotel to our growing portfolio of luxury hotels,” said Jason Carruthers, managing director of Leonardo Hotels.

“It is a consistently high performing hotel, situated in a key strategic location with highly dedicated employees, meaning it is an ideal fit to our broader portfolio. We look forward to working with The Grand team to build on their successes to date and continue enhancing the great experiences and service they consistently deliver to their guests.”

In recent years The Grand has benefited from significant investment, including a major renovation project, completed in 2019, which saw the Victorian façade of the hotel fully restored, alongside the original design features of the property, including the emerald marble pillars in the lobby and ornate cornices in the bar and restaurant.

This will be Leonardo’s second hotel on the seafront. The Grand will join its four-star Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront.

Leonardo also has a hotel near Brighton Station in Stroudley Road. Both were previously a Jurys Inn.

The group said it does not plan to change the name of The Grand.

The hotels in the city are three of 52 across the UK and Ireland.