Will Deague, founder of the Australia-based Art Series Hotels, has revealed details of the group's expansion plans.

The group currently operates two hotels - The Cullen in Melbourne and The Olsen in South Yarra - and is currently preparing to open its third site, called The Blackman, in Melbourne next month (August 2010).

Deague said that the group will open three more hotels in Melbourne over the next 12 months. It has also acquired a property in Adelaide, which it will refurbish, although the exact opening date is yet to be confirmed.

He hasn't ruled out expanding the brand outside Australia either, although there are currently no plans to do so.

Speaking to Leisure Management, Deague said: "We're considering potentially licensing out the Art Series name to make it a national brand, but the partners would have to be completely right before we'd be comfortable about doing that.

"Right now, if we were to consider the overseas market, we'd be looking at South East Asia - mainly because we don't like to travel too far to work!"

Each hotel in the group's portfolio is individually designed. Every hotel is named after a famous Australian artist and the artist's works are included in the decor.

So far, the group has spent AU$150m in developing its three hotels.

The next one to open, The Blackman, will feature 209 guest rooms and a health and fitness club. It has been named after Charles Blackman, famous for his Alice in Wonderland series of paintings.

For the full interview with Deague, see Leisure Management, Q3 2010, pp.24-26