Born from a Love of Extraordinary Places
The Collection began with a single belief: that a hotel should be more than a room for the night.
A Different Kind of Hotel Company
Prestige Collection was founded in 2010 by travel writer and hotelier James Alderton, who spent a decade traversing the world in search of places that genuinely moved him. Not grand palaces or corporate towers — but hotels that felt like they belonged exactly where they were.
The first property, Meridian House in London, opened its doors in 2012. It was unlike anything the city had seen: an urban boutique hotel that combined museum-quality design with the warmth of a family home. The critics were unanimous. Guests were devoted.
Villa Solara followed in 2018, carved into the cliffs above the Amalfi Coast and immediately recognised by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the world's most beautiful new hotels. The Collection was born.
What We Believe
Place Before Profit
We will never acquire a property simply because it fits a financial model. Every addition to the Collection must first be a place we would choose to stay ourselves — a place that earns its position through character, beauty, or both.
Small on Purpose
We have no plans to become a global chain. Prestige Collection will remain exactly that — a collection. A small group of places where every guest is known, every stay is considered, and every team member takes pride in what they do.
Hospitality as an Art
The best moments of hospitality — a perfectly timed breakfast, a knowing recommendation, a room that seems to anticipate your needs — cannot be automated. They require people who care, given the time and trust to express it.
Our Journey
Prestige Collection Founded
James Alderton establishes the company with a single, unwavering mandate: to find places that genuinely moved people and give them the care they deserved. With a decade of travel writing and deep industry relationships behind him, the foundations were set for something different.
Meridian House Opens
London's most talked-about boutique hotel opens its doors in the heart of the City. The 87-room property combined museum-quality design with the warmth of a family home — three dining venues, a full Elemis spa, and a rooftop bar that immediately became the city's best-kept secret. Five-star reviews followed within weeks.
Condé Nast Traveller Award
Meridian House is named Best City Hotel in the United Kingdom by Condé Nast Traveller — the first of many accolades. The recognition confirmed what guests already knew: that this was a new kind of luxury, defined by character and care rather than scale and spectacle.
Villa Solara Opens
The Collection expands to the Amalfi Coast with its most ambitious project — 42 cliff-carved suites, an infinity pool suspended above the Tyrrhenian Sea, a private beach, and Italian fine dining at the edge of the world. Condé Nast Traveller immediately names it one of the new world's most beautiful hotels.
Prestige Rewards Launches
Our loyalty programme opens its doors — free to join, genuinely rewarding. Within 18 months, over 50,000 members from 62 countries have enrolled. The programme earns widespread recognition for its transparency, personalisation, and the quality of its member experiences.
Net-Zero Commitment
We publish our comprehensive roadmap to net-zero operations by 2030, covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across both properties. 60% renewable energy, zero single-use plastics, and £120,000 donated to local conservation already achieved. The journey continues — because the places we love depend on it.
"I never wanted to build a hotel company. I wanted to build a collection of places that made people feel something. There is a profound difference."— James Alderton, Founder & Chairman
The People Behind the Collection
James Alderton
Founder & Chairman
Former travel writer. Hotelier. Obsessive about good rooms and better service.
Sophie Chen
Chief Executive Officer
Former managing director at The Dorchester Group. Joined Prestige Collection in 2016.
Marco Ricci
Director of Hospitality
Trained at Villa d'Este. Brings 20 years of Italian hospitality tradition to the Collection.
The Story Continues at Every Stay
Every visit to a Prestige Collection property adds another chapter. We'd love to write the next one with you.