First Stop launches City Inns

Two Edinburgh businessmen plan to develop and run a chain of city centre budget hotels under the City Inn brand.

To date, Sandy Orr and Donald MacDonald (both non-executive directors of Macdonald Hotels) have funded and developed other people's hotels through their MacDonald Orr financing and development company. They set up First Stop Hotels in 1995 in order to develop, own and operate their own properties, and have now secured the first two sites.

Managing director David Orr (a founding partner of First Stop Hotels) said two 168-bedroom City Inns will open next year, in Bristol during April and in Glasgow in the autumn. More will follow in big city centres such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London and Aberdeen.

A four-star-quality air-conditioned and sound-insulated en suite room will cost about £49 a night, and facilities include a fitness room, contemporary brasserie-style restaurant and an alfresco dining area.