Best Western boosts portfolio with nine new hotels

Best Western has added nine independent hotels to its UK portfolio over the past three months. Seven of the properties are spread across the Midlands and the North, with one new member each in Scotland and South Wales.

Keith Pope, director of Best Western, said that following the group's relaunch and TV advertising campaign last year, it has received an increase in applications from quality four-star hotels and hotels working with competitor brands.

"Best Western is experiencing a significant 20% growth in bookings this year, both online and through its call centre, and this is a very attractive proposition to quality independent hotels looking to grow their profile in the increasingly competitive hotel sector," he said. "Joining up with other like-minded quality businesses makes a lot of sense when you are facing tough competition from the major brands."

The nine new member hotels add 550 bedrooms to Best Western's existing stock of 15,000 rooms in the UK, as well as conference facilities for 1,100 delegates, three spas, and a golf course.

Pope said that properties like the 42-bedroom Beamish Hall in County Durham, with its micro brewery, adventure course and birds of prey centre, "represent the Best Western 'hotels with personality' ethos that you just don't find in the mass brands."

There are now more than 270 three and four-star Best Western hotels in the UK. The new hotels include:

Best Western Feathers Liverpool Hotel, Liverpool
Best Western The Queens Hotel, Oban
Best Western Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel & Spa, Usk, Monmouthshire
Best Western Windmill Village Hotel, Golf & Leisure Club, Coventry
Best Western Deincourt Hotel, Newark
Best Western Angel & Royal Hotel, Grantham
Best Western Forest Hills Hotel, Frodsham, Cheshire
Best Western Nottingham Derby Hotel in Long Eaton
Best Western Beamish Hall Hotel, County Durham

Best Western rebrand puts emphasis on individuality >>

TV campaign boosts Best Western figures >>

Best Western reports record breaking sales >>

By Janet Harmer

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