Golden Tulip UK this week announced a major expansion programme, including plans to enter the long-stay apartment market.
The group plans to add 10 new-build hotels to its portfolio in the next 18 months, as well as launching long-stay apartments at its first property in Northern Ireland.
Tulip Inn Belfast will have 127 bedrooms and 28 apartments. It is due to open in September 2007.
In addition, three new Tulip Inns are planned for Chippenham, Wiltshire; Stoke, Staffordshire; and Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Another six sites are in negotiation at locations across the British Isles, including a second four-star Golden Tulip hotel to be built in Dublin.
Chief executive Peter Roberts said: "It has been slow going to this point but we now have a healthy pipeline of properties and we plan to have 25 by the end of 2008."