Choice Hotels has signed an agreement with Akkeron Hotels to operate nine of its hotels on a franchise basis that will see Choice re-brand the hotels under the Quality and Clarion Collection brands.
The new deal will see Choice Hotels increase its number of UK hotels to 46. It is expected that further hotels within Akkeron, which owns and leases 34 properties, could eventually be added to the franchise deal.
Five hotels will transform into the Quality brand, these located in Bristol, Bury St.Edmunds, Colchester, Peterborough and Kings Lynn. While four in Winchester, Darlington, Ringwood and Stevenage will operate under the Clarion Collection brand.
The first few to join the Choice Hotels Europe system will be Quality Hotel Bury St. Edmunds, Quality Hotel Peterborough and Clarion Collection Cromwell Stevenage. This will take place at the end of February with the remaining hotels to slowly transform throughout the year.
Choice Hotels Europe franchises nearly 500 hotels in Europe across the four-to-five star Clarion brand, the three-star Quality brand and the two-to-three star Comfort brand.