Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Westcombe Group opens Hampton by Hilton Hotel in London

Acre Hotels, the hospitality arm of the Westcombe Group, was behind the £13 million property in Old Street, Shoreditch, east London

Westcombe Group opens Hampton by Hilton Hotel in London

A leading UK property developer owned by the Pankhania family and specialising in Grade I and II listed buildings, announced on Monday (29) the completion of a Hampton by Hilton Hotel in London.

Acre Hotels, the hospitality arm of the Westcombe Group, was behind the £13 million property in Old Street, Shoreditch, east London.


With 35 permanent staff across its five floors, the hotel opened on Monday with facilities including a gym, a restaurant, a 24/7 menu available in its lobby bar and a conference room.

Hampton by Hilton by Westcombe 2

Westcombe Group is owned by the Pankhania family and was founded in 1975 by chairman Vraj Pankhania.

The development was led by CEO Kamal Pankhania and COO Sunil Pankhania.

It is the first time Westcombe Group has worked with Hampton by Hilton.

LEAD Vraj Pankhania Vraj Pankhania

In a statement, the property developer noted the hotel’s unusual double basement design, in which two separate basements of five metres and 10 metres depth, respectively, were excavated.

“This called for unique problem solving while ensuring that a large amount of natural light still reached the basements, which contain meeting rooms, a gym, guest rooms and other state-of-the-art facilities,” the statement added.

“Through the development Westcombe Group also used adapted innovative secant piling, overlapping layers of material to ensure maximum water tightness and prevent leaks in the basement.”

INSET The Pankhania family; Vraj (third from left) with his sons Kamal (second from left) and Sunil (second from right)

Kamal Pankhania said, “I’m proud to see the hotel open and taking in guests to enjoy our hard work. We are confident the hotel will serve its customers and the local community well. We’re delighted to have worked with as established a brand as Hampton by Hilton.”

Graham Dodd, managing director, development, UK & Ireland at Hilton, said, “We are delighted to partner with Westcombe Group on their first Hilton-branded hotel development, delivering a high-quality London hotel in this fantastic location.”

Westcombe said sustainability was at the heart of the build, which uses harvested rainwater in its systems and has a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’.

More For You

India jewellery

The US accounts for nearly £7.6 billion, or 30.4 per cent, of India’s annual gems and jewellery exports.(Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

India’s jewellery exports face decline as US tariffs hit

INDIA’s £24 billion gems and jewellery industry is preparing for a sharp decline in exports as the US imposes a 26 per cent tariff on Indian goods.

Industry officials said this would significantly affect sales to the US, India’s largest jewellery market.

Keep ReadingShow less
ronnie screwvala

Ronnie Screwvala’s rise to billionaire status is an inspiring story of vision

Getty

Ronnie Screwvala: From toothbrush seller to Bollywood's lone billionaire

The 2025 edition of the Forbes Billionaire List was released on Wednesday morning, showcasing the world's wealthiest individuals. The list features 3,028 billionaires globally, including 205 from India. Among these is Bollywood's only billionaire, Ronnie Screwvala, a media mogul whose journey from manufacturing toothbrushes to becoming a leading entrepreneur is nothing short of remarkable. With a net worth of $1.5 billion, Screwvala has surpassed the combined fortunes of Bollywood’s biggest stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan.

Bollywood’s wealthiest man

Ronnie Screwvala stands as the richest person from the Hindi film industry, with a fortune exceeding that of its biggest icons. According to Forbes, his net worth of $1.5 billion surpasses the combined wealth of Shah Rukh Khan ($770 million), Salman Khan ($390 million), and Aamir Khan ($220 million), whose total stands at $1.38 billion. Additionally, he eclipses other notable figures such as Gulshan Kumar (approximately $900 million) and Aditya Chopra ($800 million). His financial success is a testament to his entrepreneurial acumen and strategic investments in both entertainment and education sectors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Getty Images

Trump’s tariffs hit global markets, Starmer warns of 'economic impact'

The UK and other global economies reacted on Thursday to US president Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs, with prime minister Keir Starmer warning of an “economic impact” from the 10 per cent levy on British exports.

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Keep ReadingShow less
Airbus bets on Indian supply
base to scale up production

Guillaume Faury

Airbus bets on Indian supply base to scale up production

AIRCRAFT maker Airbus plans to significantly ramp up its annual sourcing of components and services from India to reach $2 billion (£1.54bn) by 2030, its CEO Guillaume Faury has said.

Describing India as one of the most important markets for Airbus in terms of growth, Faury said the challenge for the aircraft maker is to support the speed of the growth of the aviation industry in India.

Keep ReadingShow less
nintendo switch 2

The new console aims to build upon the success of its predecessor while introducing fresh innovations

Getty

Nintendo unveils Switch 2 - A new era for hybrid gaming begins

After months of speculation and cryptic teaser campaigns, Nintendo has officially announced the highly anticipated successor to its bestselling hybrid console. The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch on 5 June, with a price tag of £395.99 for the base package and £429.99 for a bundle including Mario Kart World. With a range of hardware improvements, redesigned controllers, and an exciting lineup of games, the new console aims to build upon the success of its predecessor while introducing fresh innovations.

A Bigger, Sharper Display and 4K Support

One of the most noticeable upgrades in the Nintendo Switch 2 is its display. The console now features a larger 7.9-inch screen, boasting twice the pixel count of the original Switch and supporting full 1080p resolution. Additionally, the display is capable of up to 120 frames per second, ensuring smoother animations, while high dynamic range (HDR) enhances colour contrast for a richer visual experience. Despite these improvements, the Switch 2 maintains the same thickness as the original model, preserving its signature portable form factor.

Keep ReadingShow less