Julia Hands, chair and chief executive officer of Hand Picked Hotels and wife of deal-maker, Guy Hands, has unveiled her plans for the couple's hotel chain in an interview with Leisure Management.

Julia and Guy Hands bought 17 hotels from Wyndham International in 1999. Selling one, the couple employed MacDonald Hotels to manage the remain 16 Arcadian hotels.However, the chain is now to be managed by Julia herself and rebranded as Hand Picked Hotels.

The first hotel in the portfolio to be rebranded, the Grade 1 Listed 53-room Chilston Park in Kent has now been unveiled, with the remaining 15 being rebranded and refurbished in a £50m project over the next five years. £20m will be invested this year and a further £10m next year.The refurbishments will be designed by John Minshaw of Minshaw Designs. See Leisure Management April for the full interview with Julia Hands. Call +44 (0)1462 471932