Laura Ashley--yes, the Laura Ashley of chintz and florals--announced plans to open a hotel in Hertfordshire, England on Thursday.
The Guardian reports that the brand spent £5.8m to open the "attraction" for fans of the brand. The hotel's 49 rooms will feature beds, sofas, wallpapers and even curtains in Laura Ashley fabrics, and will become a "brand showcase" when it opens later this year.
CEO Seán Anglim told the paper that this isn't the first time in the brand's 60 years that they have been approached about opening a hotel, saying the concept "has not come out of the blue."
The concept of designer hotels started in 2000, when Donatella Versace opened Palazzo Versace on Australia's Gold Coast, Huffington Post blogger Melanie Nayer points out.
Yet the question remains: Will people want to check into a room made up of Laura Ashley prints? Sure, Missoni, Armani, Bulgaria and Versace all have licensed hotel brands (see slideshow below), but is Laura Ashley on par with the Italian fashion houses?
Posted: 03/31/12 11:27 AM ET | Updated: 03/31/12 11:27 AM ET