The Real Hotel Company has launched a new budget brand into the UK marketplace to compete with sector leaders Premier Inn and Travelodge.

Purple is being described by the company, previously Choice Hotels Europe, as “no frills chic”.

The first hotel in the group to carry Purple branding has been launched in Braintree, Essex and a second is due to open at Glasgow Airport next month.

By the end of January another nine hotels currently operating under the Sleep Inn banner will have become Purples, giving Real nearly 1,000 bedrooms operating under the new concept.

Michael Prager, chief executive of Real, told Caterersearch he was confident Purple could succeed in a marketplace dominated by PI, Travelodge and Holiday Inn.

“Premier Inn and Travelodge have done a great job of making hotel rooms affordable to everyone. However we know feel that as the budget sector matures there is an opportunity to move away from purely price and add style comfort and fun to the equation.”

Purple bedrooms will be contemporary in style with – by budget standards – larger rooms with 22sq m net space, queen size beds, flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi throughout and “huge showers”.

In the regions room rate will be £55 to £85 and in London midweek customers can expect to pay £155 to £190.

Lobbies will be taken over by a coffee bar serving Lavazza coffee and cooked breakfasts will be provided in the room rate to start.

Real will also be ending its deal with Choice Hotels International to act as UK franchisor on 31 January 2008. 

After the UK agreement ends, Real will continue to run 30 hotels under the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands in the UK as a franchisee.

Real owns, leases or manages 65 hotels in the UK, France, Germany and Belgium.

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By Chris Druce