Irish-based Great National Hotels and Resorts announces plans for growth in UK

The company already has seven properties in the UK, alongside 19 in Ireland, and now intends to grow to 100 hotels by the end of 2015. A recent addition to the group includes the 15-bedroom Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.

It also represents the 45-bedroom Grand Hotel Swansea and the 81-bedroom Birmingham Oldbury Hotel, Dudley.

David Collins (pictured), co-founder and managing director of Great National Hotels and Resorts, said: "We're delighted to announce our growth plans for the next two years which will see us quadruple in size as we selectively grow Great National further both in Ireland and the UK, and follows a strong group-wide performance in 2013 despite challenging market conditions."

"The Great National brand is founded on proven 'best of class' marketing, reservations and on-line distribution which is significantly accelerating growth, reducing costs and improving the market reach of our member hotels, all of which are independently owned and operated."

Byrne said the point of difference between Great Hotels and "hard brands" is the "less onerous contracts, with an emphasis on a performance driven fee structure". He wnet on to say that Great Hotels offers properties optional soft brand standards as well as "significant" economies on purchasing.

Based in Ennis, Co Clare, Great National also has an office in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

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