Thistle Hotels is to unveil the first in a new chain of deluxe hotels operating under the brand name Guoman, on 1 October.

The first property to open under the banner of the new concept will be The Cumberland Hotel in London, which is currently completing a £95m refurbishment.

Thistle has taken over management of the Oxford Street property from Le Meridien – which operated it as Le Meridien Marble Arch – and when it reopens The Cumberland will boast more than 900 guest rooms and 26 meeting rooms, an art gallery-style lobby, leisure facilities, bars and restaurants.

The rooms and public areas have been designed by Real Studios, while contract caterer Compass Group’s Restaurant Associates division will operate the bars and restaurants.

The group intends to create a collection of “outstanding upscale hotels” in major gateway locations under the Guoman brand: the name itself is a Mandarin Chinese word meaning ‘international gateway’.

Key Thistle sites will be converted to the brand over time and it is expected that Guoman will also be extended to new hotels – in the UK and overseas – in the future.

Thistle’s chief operating officer, Beverly King, said: “The Cumberland is a fantastic hotel in a superb location on Oxford Street and at the top of Park Lane – the perfect hotel with which to launch our new brand.”