Amba - Charing Cross — Photo by Clermont Hotel Group
Amba - Marble Arch — Photo by Clermont Hotel Group
Amba - Tower Bridge — Photo by Clermont Hotel Group

London – glh., the London-based global hotel subsidiary of the Singapore-listed GuocoLeisure Group, today announces the launch of a new contemporary 4-star hotel brand, Amba.

  • Amba will be Europe's largest four-star hotel brand launch with 2088 rooms by 2015 Amba is launching with four hotels, situated just a few paces from world famous landmarks, in London's most prestigious locations: Marble Arch, Tower Bridge, Charing Cross and Buckingham Palace Road.
  • glh will be investing a further £70 million into the chosen four-star hotels
  • The launch is driven by our extensive and industry shaping market research which shows there is a significant opportunity to develop the four star market
  • The design of Amba's new hotel rooms has been driven by the voice of the global customer
  • At Amba everything works – from intuitive service to the fastest, free, reliable Wi-Fi available
  • Amba provides the best environment to refresh and recharge
  • glh.is targeting 30 key cities in the UK for the Amba brand and will expand the brand internationally in China, the USA and Europe across the best locations

Amba, a global owner and operator of contemporary hotels, will be Europe's largest four- star brand launch with 2088 rooms in London by 2015. glh. will invest a further £70 million into the chosen four-star hotels to provide the best environment for the discerning business and leisure traveller*.

Amba is launching with four hotels, situated just a few paces from world famous landmarks, in London's most prestigious locations: Marble Arch, Tower Bridge, Charing Cross and Buckingham Palace Road. The four hotels will re-open following major refurbishments, with Buckingham Palace Road the first Amba hotel to launch in June 2014.

The launch of Amba is driven by extensive market research which shows there is a significant opportunity to address unmet client needs in the four-star sector; better and more personalised service, seamless technology that actually works and authentic experiences in the best locations around the world.

At Amba, every room has been designed by the voice of the global customer and the highly knowledgeable staff - empowered by glh's new entrepreneurial management model - will unearth hidden gems like a local and deliver the best guest-centred experience in the industry.

Amba sees technology as an enabler and every hotel in the brand is underpinned by seamless technology, from a Smart TV in every room to the behind-the-scenes operations that ensure staying in an Amba is an effortless experience. Wi-Fi isn"t a luxury, it's a necessity. That's why Amba has invested in the fastest, free, reliable Wi-Fi for all guests.

Amba will attract the global conference market using its fantastic locations across London combined with seamless technology to deliver the best conference experience available in the world.

The ambition is to grow the Amba brand in the UK to around 30 properties with further growth internationally in China, Malaysia, and the USA.

Commenting on today's announcement Mike DeNoma, CEO of glh, said:
"We're excited to launch Amba a new hotel brand that signifies our intent and ambition to unlock human potential and give property owners and developers a new deal in the four-star market. We want to be the first port of call for developers, owners and investors who want a new deal from a hotel management company."

Commenting on today's announcement Colin Roy, Chief Marketing Officer, said:
"Four-star hospitality can be impersonal and lack differentiation. The launch of Amba signifies a step change in the market. An Amba hotel will combine a fantastic location with genuine warmth, intuitive service and technology to ensure that both business and leisure travellers get the most out of their stay. From booking to check out, we will endeavour to offer our guests a more personal and authentic service which will leave them feeling refreshed and recharged."

1 glh. refers to GLH Hotels Management (UK) Limited, the new name of Guoman

Hotel Management (UK) Limited, a subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Limited.

*Upper full service, as defined by BDRC.

We expect 60% of our guests Monday to Friday to be business travellers.
Our customer research tells us that many travellers find the 4-star experience impersonal.
Amba will have 2088 rooms in London
glh. is the largest owner-operator hotel company in London with over 4,000 hotel rooms. In total glh. has 8,279 bedrooms 337 meeting rooms across 36 Hotels in the UK.

Mike DeNoma, CEO glh.

An American citizen, Mike DeNoma moved to the UK to take up his new position in 2012. Before joining glh. Mike DeNoma was chairman, president and chief executive of Chinatrust Commercial Bank, one of Asia's first international Chinese financial institutions. Previously, from 1999 to 2009, DeNoma was chief executive of the Global Consumer Bank at Standard Chartered.

Earlier in his career he was the founder and chief executive of two nationwide companies in China and held senior executive positions with Hutchison Whampoa, Citibank and PepsiCo after starting his career at Procter & Gamble.

A devoted family man and keen ultramarathon runner, DeNoma regularly competes in athletic challenges to raise money for disadvantaged children.

Natalie Hall
+44 020 3301 2197
Clermont Hotel Group