Whitbread remained the biggest hotel operator in the UK market in 2008, in terms of hotels hotels and bedroom numbers.
Its Premier Inn budget chain grew by more than 30 properties to 518-plus hotels by the end of August, while the bedroom tally soared by more than 3,400 to in excess of 36,000 rooms.
The second and third slots remained in the hands of InterContinental hotels and rival budget operator Travelodge, with 35,430 and 23,150 bedrooms across their respective 256 and 333 properties.
The biggest change at the top of the table stemmed from this year's inclusion of the Best Western marketing consortium, whose 285 hotel members made it the sixth largest player in the UK.
These figures for the year to 31 August 2008 are reported in British Hospitality: Trends and Statistics 2008, published by the British Hospitality Association.
The full report (which is free to BHA members) can be bought for £250 (for the printed version) or £200 (for a PDF file). Prices are progressively discounted as the year moves on. For enquiries or orders, phone 0207 404 7744 or contact bob.bacon@bha.org.uk.
View the top 100 hotel brands from the 2007 report >>
View the top 100 hotel brands from the 2006 report >>
TOP 100 HOTEL GROUPS WITH MORE THAN 200 BEDROOMS IN THE UK TO 31 AUGUST 2008
(BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS) - PART II
| | Company | Number of hotels | Brands | Number of
rooms | Hotels (and rooms) worldwide |
| 51 | The Landmark Group | 4 (inc apartments) | | 1,136 | 5 (1,550) |
| 52 | Hyatt International | 3 | Andaz (1), Hyatt (2) | 1,030 | 735+ (136,000+) |
| 53 | Corus Hotels | 11 | | 1,013 | 13 (1,652) |
| 54 | Cola Hotels | 3 | | 969 | |
| 55 | Legacy Hotels | 16 | | 957 | |
| 56 | London Plaza Hotels | 4 | | 957 | 5 (1,010) |
| 57 | Crimson Hotels | 6 | †Quality (1),
†Holiday Inn (1), †Crowne Plaza (1)†Comfort
(2), | 872 | |
| 58 | Hand Picked Hotels | 17 | | 856 | |
| 59 | Marston's Inns & Taverns | 50+ | | 850 | |
| 60 | Shire Hotels (Daniel Thwaites) | 9 | Lodge on the Park (1) | 834 | |
| 61 | Moran Hotel Group (Dublin) | 4 | Moran (2), Bewleys (2) | 792 | 10 (1,885) |
| 62 | The Doyle Collection | 4 | | 788 | 11 (2,161) |
| 63 | Strathmore Hotels | 8 | | 773 | |
| 64 | Martyn Leisure Resorts & Hotels | 5 | Resorts (2) | 770 | |
| 65 | Four Pillars Hotels | 6 | | 731 | |
| 66 | Geminex, Essex | 5 | Express by Holiday Inn (3) | 728 | |
| 67 | Ascott Group | 6 | †Citadines (4), Ascott (1) | 716 | |
| 68 | Hastings Hotels | 6 | | 715 | |
| 69 | Elizabeth Hotels | 15 | | 675 | |
| 70 | Brook Hotels | 13 | | 674 | |
| 71 | Quinn Hotels | 3 | †Crowne Plaza (1), †Holiday Inn (1), The Belfry (1) | 650 | 9 (2,427) |
| 72 | Pederson Hotels | 6 | †Crowne Plaza (2) | 644 | |
| 73 | Von Essen Hotels | 26 inc apartments | | 644 | 27 (665) |
| 74 | Peel Hotels | 8 | | 639 | |
| 75 | Apex Hotels | 5 | | 638 | |
| 76 | Butterfly Hotels | 8 | †Ramada (4), †Express By Holiday Inn (2), †Days (1) | 633 | |
| 77 | Brend Hotels | 11 | | 617 | |
| 78 | NH Hoteles | 3 | Jolly (1) | 596 | 344 (50,707) |
| 79 | Red Carnation Hotels | 8 | | 588 | 12 (770) |
| 80 | Ralph Trustees Group | 4 inc apartments | Grove, Runnmede, Athenaeum, Greengarden | 586 | |
| 81 | Sol Melia Hotels | 1 | Sol White House | 581 | 329 (81,000) |
| 82 | McKever Hotels | 17 inc apartments | | 577 | |
| 83 | JJW Hotels & Resorts | 8 | Eton Collection | 557 | 46 (3,184) |
| 84 | Choice Hotels | 5 | | 550 | |
| 85 | Bespoke Hotels | 14 | | 537 | |
| 86 | Portland Hotels | 5 | | 536 | |
| 87 | Seymour Hotels | 3 | | 519 | |
| 88 | Elite Hotels | 4 | | 514 | |
| 89 | Maybourne Group | 3 | Claridge's, Connaught, Berkeley | 509 | |
| 90 | Feathers Hotel & Catering Group | 8 | | 507 | |
| 91 | Prem Group | 2 hotels, 6 apartments | †Ramada (1) | 502 | 25 hotels, and 13 apartments |
| 92 | Andras House | 4 | †Days (1),
†Ramada (1)
† Holiday Inn Express (1) | 500 | |
| 93 | Cedar Court Hotel Group | 4 | | 494 | |
| 94 | Four Seasons | 3 | | 494 | 78 |
| 95 | Eclipse Hotels | 6 | †Easyhotels (2), †Holiday Inn (1), †Holiday Inn Express (3) | 492 | 18 |
| 96 | Dakota Hotels | 4 | | 485 | |
| 97 | Fairmont Hotels & Resorts | 2 | Savoy, St Andrews | 472 | 58 |
| 98 | Rocco Forte Collection | 3 | | 470 | 11 (1,561) |
| 99 | Vienna Group | 7 | Best Western (2), Umi (2) | 470 | |
| 100 | Aristel Hotels | 7 | †Ramada (1), Best Western (5) | 457 | |
* Some or all franchised to another operator
† Franchised hotels