Hotel group calls pitch in brand rejig

Consort Hotels, the UK’s largest hotel consortium, is seeking an agency to rebrand its individual hotels under the Consort name in a campaign worth up to 2m.

The operation has 180 properties, ranging from country houses to historic inns and city centre hotels. The York-based group prides itself on its individuality, and claims to offer an alternative to the “soulless” chain hotel.

Marketing Week understands the collection of individually owned and operated hotels will place more emphasis on the Consort name.

Marketing manager David Ranby confirms the consortium is planning to launch the rebranding exercise in January.

The Consort consortium was formed in 1981, with just seven properties. It aims to offer member hotels the expertise and resources to compete against large hotel chains while keeping an individual flavour. It maintains commercial advantages over independent hotels operating outside an affiliation.

Earlier this year, the group launched Freedom Fun Breaks to woo leisure as opposed to business travellers.