Today’s news in brief – 24/1/25

Whitbread has expanded its Premier Inn network by adding over 1,000 new rooms across seven UK locations since March 2024. New hotels have opened in London, Cambridge, Bristol, York, and Torquay, including conversions of vacant office buildings to reduce environmental impact. Whitbread, currently operating 85,500 UK hotel rooms, targets 125,000 in the UK and Ireland, focusing on high-demand locations. Development Director Alex Flach emphasized Whitbread’s flexible approach and plans to expand to 40 new locations within the M25 and 13 in Ireland.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh is set to introduce a 5% visitor levy on overnight stays starting July 2026. UKHospitality Scotland has urged the council to delay the levy’s collection from May to October 2025, citing concerns about business readiness. The levy is expected to generate £50m annually to support the city’s economy but raises concerns about competitiveness and administrative burdens.
EasyHotel secured a £24.5m loan from CaixaBank to expand into Spain, adding 361 rooms in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, and Alicante by 2026. CEO Karim Malak highlighted strong demand for affordable hotels in Spain, with further plans to grow in cities like Palma and Bilbao. This follows a £42.5m loan from Santander UK and £6m from BRED Banque for European expansion.
The Holiday Inn Gloucester-Cheltenham unveiled its refurbished Spirit Health Club, featuring state-of-the-art gym equipment, a redesigned poolside, and modernized facilities. This upgrade, completed ahead of schedule, follows a recent multi-million-pound refurbishment of the hotel’s rooms and event spaces, enhancing the guest and member experience.