Thistle Hotels will be launching a new brand in October to coincide with the reopening of their new flagship property – the Cumberland Hotel in London. The Cumberland will be first hotel in the UK to carry the ‘Guoman’ branding.

‘With the Guoman brand, it is our intention to create a collection of outstanding upscale hotels in major gateway locations and to become the discerning traveller’s first choice whether travelling on business or leisure’ said Beverly King, Thistle’s chief operating officer.

Other properties which are expected to fulfil the gateway criterion include the Thistle Tower, Thistle Marble Arch, Royal Horseguards and One Whitehall Place and the Thistle Charing Cross.

Although ‘Guoman’ is a new name to the UK hotel market, it is known in the Far East as a small hotel group with top quality properties in Malaya and Vietnam.

…and the name? – apparently ‘Guoman’ means ‘international gateway’ in Mandarin.