Langham Hotels International is on the verge of buying hotels in Paris, New York and Washington, which it plans to follow with expansion in Australia, Singapore and the US.

Chief executive Brett Butcher said immediate rapid growth would be in China, but Langham aimed to target key European, North American, Asian and Middle East cities. 

Butcher said the downturn had presented many opportunities and the group, owned by Great Eagle Holdings in Hong Kong, had
significant funds for buying hotels. But he said achieving the company’s desired rapid growth would also come from more management contracts, such as the latest opening under its Langham Place brand in Koh Samui.

There was more work to be done in establishing the brands, Butcher added, as the group currently operates under The Langham, Langham Place, Eaton Smart, Eaton House and Eaton Luxe brands. “We are a multi-branded group, but I don’t think that has become as evident yet as with companies like Starwood or IHG,” said Butcher.

There are seven hotels under The Langham brand with a new property to open in Bangkok in the Sukhumvit Road area in 2012.

There are two Langham Place hotels including the most recent opening in Samui at Lamai Beach in December. Upcoming Langham Place openings include two hotels in Beijing; the Miora Resort & Spa in Phuket; the Vineyard Resort & Spa on Waiheke Island, Auckland; a property in Guangzho; one in Bangkok and the Langham Place Resort & Spa in Port St George, Bahamas.

Butcher said volumes at the group’s hotels were back to pre-recession levels, but added rates across the luxury hotel group would not
be back to previous highs until summer 2011.