Hollywood comes to town
Leonardo DiCaprio and crew of Inception stays at The Bedford Swan, Bedford

Staff at the Bedford Swan Hotel were thrilled to receive a visit from Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio earlier this month. Leonardo stayed in one of the most luxurious suites and enjoyed a pleasant stay in Bedford’s most chic and historic hotel.

The star, who has featured in several best-seller movies, is best known for his role in Titanic, along with Kate Winslet. Leonardo has teamed up with Batman director Chris Nolan for his latest role in Inception, due to be released in July 2010. The film is partly being filmed at the Cardington Airship Hangers as well as in Tokyo, LA, and Alberta, Canada.

The storyline is very much under wraps but Nolan, who also stayed at the hotel along with the cast and crew, cryptically described it as a contemporary sci-fi action thriller “set within the architecture of the mind.”

The 4* Bedford Swan Hotel is no stranger to the stars and co-star Michael Caine, who has a small part in the movie, has previously stayed there.  Most recently, the hotel was home to Pop icons Take That during rehearsals for their Circus Tour.

ENDSNotes to editor: 

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Keen

Sales Manager
01234 346565
Email:  sales@bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Jo Pratt (one of Waterstone’s Authors for the Future) is another new addition to the event. Jo will be talking about her new book “In the Mood for Entertaining” and the delicious no - fuss recipes which have endeared her to an international audience. A regular face on the popular cooking show Market Kitchen, Jo has worked with BBC’s Gary Rhodes on The Good Food Show, contributed columns and recipes to Elle UK, Olive, BBC’s Good Food Guide and Glamour. She also co-wrote, The Nation’s Favorite Foods and contributed to the subsequent hit show.

Helen Rathbone, of Flying Pig Events, who is organising the event with sponsors, Hamptons International, and Crowne Plaza Marlow says “The Marlow Food Festival has already surpassed all expectations in terms of the level of support we have received locally. The festival will offer something for everyone of any age who is interested in food, and hopefully, this will become an annual event which is a credit to Marlow town”

The Marlow Food Festival aims to put Marlow on the map as a serious culinary destination. The winners of BBC Two’s program, The Restaurant, Russell Clement and Michelle English, owners of The Cheerful Soul, (opened in June this year in the Hare & Hounds pub in Marlow) were one of the first to get involved and will be participating in their own Q & A event on the day.

Local chefs, including Michael Macdonald of Vanilla Pod, Miles Warren of Aubergine at The Compleat Angler and James Penlington owner of The Royal Oak, Bovingdon (voted “Dining Pub of The Year 2009″ in The Good Food Guide), will showcase their skills alongside renowned Chocolatier Damian Allsop and “Come and Cook” owner Dorn Kipping who will be conducting a “hands-on” children’s cookery session.

There will also be food & wine tastings, displays and children’s activities on the day. General admission will be free and tickets and more information about the scheduled events are available on 01491 635346

Marlow Food Festival
Crowne Plaza Marlow
Sunday 20^th September 2009
10.00am - 4.00pm

Crowne Plaza Marlow is offering a fantastic room rate of from just £60 if you would like to stay over on the Sunday night after the Food Festival and explore Marlow for yourself. Please call 0870 444 8940 or visit crowneplazamarlow.co.uk to book.

For more information please contact:

Helen Rathbone on 07912 696658
E-mail : Theflyingpigs1@aol.com

Children at Epsom Hospital on Casey and Ebbisham Wards, Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children and The Children’s Trust, Tadworth were visited by staff from the Holiday Inn Express Epsom yesterday. General Manager Maria Robinson and Janet Flack from Holiday Inn Express Epsom Downs were joined by colleagues Nathan McCloud and Ray Perry dressed as the Teddy Bear and the Easter Chicken. The team were visiting the children to hand out soft toys and chocolates ahead of the Easter weekend.

Any extra presents were donated to The Children’s Trust Spring Fair being held on Easter Monday. The fair is being held on-site at Tadworth and is free for children and £2 for adults. There will be a farm, egg hunt, games, stalls and lots more entertainment for all the family.

The Children’s Trust is the nominated charity for the Holiday Inn Express Epsom and the hotel are looking to hold a charity car wash and a balloon race later this year in aid of the charity.

About The Children’s Trust
The Children’s Trust is a national charity, which provides care, education and therapy for children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs, and rehabilitation services to children with an acquired brain injury.
The Trust’s latest appeal, as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations in 2009, will help more children from across the UK to access the specialist services it provides.
For more information visit: www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk

Hotel staff at The Children's Trust, Tadworth

BDL Select announced its acquisition of independent hotel company Paten & Co in a confidential sale that sees four high quality hotels change hands. The deal was completed in less than four months demonstrating the speed at which BDL can react to trade sale opportunities. The four hotels consist of over 400 rooms located in Bedford, Stratford Upon Avon, Portsmouth and Colchester.

John O’Malley, CEO of BDL Select Hotels stated “The purchase of Paten Hotels is the first step in assembling a portfolio of good quality, independent mid market hotels. We are currently in negotiation with other independent operators with a view to expanding the portfolio. The purchase of Paten demonstrates how quickly we can complete deals from a standing start“.

The hotels are the 133 room Bedford Swan, originally built in 1794 overlooking the River Ouse; the 73 room Best Western Grosvenor Hotel in Stratford upon Avon; the 148 room Langston Hotel in Havant, Portsmouth and the 110 room Best Western Marks Tey Hotel in Colchester. All of the hotels have extensive food and beverage, meeting and function space.

BDL purchased Paten Hotels with the assistance of a professional team of advisors which included RBS Corporate and Property Finance, Atisreal, Ernst and Young; McGrigors Solicitors and Macroberts Solicitors both of Glasgow.

The Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs opened to the public on Monday 1st September 2008 but was officially opened by the Mayor at the hotels opening event on Thursday 2nd October. His worshipful, the Mayor of Epsom and Ewell Borough will be attending with his Mayoress, Mrs Vanessa Winkworth.

The hotels official opening party on 2nd October was a memorable event. This casino themed evening started at 6pm with a drinks & canapé reception. The hotel also had living statues for a bit of extra entertainment and guests had the chance to beat the house on one of the special casino tables.

Commenting on the opening Maria Robinson states ‘ I am excited about this new venture and am looking forward to my time ahead with BDL, and the team here at the Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs.’
The Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs contemporary hotel with 120 stylish bedrooms. The hotel has a vibrant friendly approach where every guest will be made to feel at home as soon as they walk through the door.

The hotels contemporary bedrooms are bright, spacious with modern en-suite bathrooms. They also have air-conditioning, direct dial telephones, tea and coffee making facilities, interactive TV’s with Sky, radio and pay movie channels. For the business traveler the rooms have desk areas with broad band access. The hotel also has double-bedded rooms with foldaway sofa beds, which can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children.

The new Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs also offer a complimentary continental buffet breakfast service to all guests in the Hotel’s Great Room.
Located on the grounds of Epsom Downs Racecourse, this new hotel is a new and exciting development for the area, providing the extensive conference facilities of the Racecourse with accommodation facilities.

The Holiday Inn Express has been developed alongside the new Grandstand at the Epsom Downs Racecourse, The new Grandstand will have a capacity of 11,000 and will be a comfortable and modern development that will be used for events throughout the year for more information on the NEW Grandstand visit www.epsomderby.co.uk

 
For further information please contact:

Keshal Patel
Marketing Executive
BDL Management Ltd.
E: keshal.patel@bdlhotels.co.uk
T: 0208 564 0019

BDL Management Ltd and Jockey Club Racecourses are pleased to announce the opening of the new Holiday Inn Express at Epsom Downs Racecourse.

The new Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs is a modern and contemporary budget hotel with 120 stylish but simply decorated bedrooms and the hotel has a vibrant friendly approach where every guest will be made to feel at home as soon as they walk through the door. 

All 120 bedrooms are bright, spacious and have all the facilities required for business or leisure. All rooms have direct dial telephones, tea and coffee making facilities, interactive colour televisions with Sky, radio channels and pay movie channels. The rooms are air conditioned for guests comfort and desk areas with broad band access available to be used for work or pleasure.
For families, there are double-bedded rooms with foldaway sofa beds, which can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children.

All rooms contain modern bathrooms equipped with power shower to invigorate guests for the day ahead and to ensure your safety and security while in our hotel, there are be key card locks on all doors.
The new Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs also offer a complimentary continental buffet breakfast service to all guests in the Hotel’s Great Room.

Located on the grounds of Epsom Downs Racecourse, this new hotel is an exciting development to the area and will be ideal for both business and leisure guests alike.

Commenting on the opening Maria Robinson states
“I am excited about this new venture and am looking forward to the time ahead with BDL and my team here at the Holiday Inn Express London - Epsom Downs.”

For further information please contact:
The Marketing Department
0208 564 0019