Northern Ireland’s largest hotel group, Andras Hotels, has announced that it has bought the Premier Inn in Coleraine. The Premier Inn is set to close on 10 February, following which the Belfast-based hotel group will take over the property.

Rajesh Rana, Director of Andras Hotels, said ‘We are delighted to be expanding our portfolio with this acquisition. This will be the company’s first hotel outside of Belfast and we are excited to be expanding into the north coast. Our plans for this hotel are to rebrand and operate it under franchise from the Accor Hotel group. We will be investing £500,000 in this hotel and giving it a fresh new look’.

‘We have met the existing employees at the hotel, who are a really great team, and I’m pleased to say we will be safeguarding all jobs.’

Andras Hotels have recently received planning permission for a new 83-bedroom hotel at Main Street, Portrush. The group also has planning consent for the refurbishment of the former Northern Bank at Main Street, to provide serviced apartments and a café bar.

Rajesh Rana stated ‘Both of our developments in Portrush will start in the first half of 2023 and these projects will provide much needed tourism accommodation and hospitality venues at the core of the town. These investments, totalling £12million will significantly rengenerate the Main Street in Portrush and will preserve and enhance these beautiful listed buildings.’

‘With the inclusion of the Coleraine property we will have a significant critical mass of bedrooms in the area. The Accor brand for Coleraine and a planned international brand for the Portrush hotel which will allow us to attract out-of-state visitors to the area’.

Rana concluded ‘We are looking forward to working with the wonderful team at the Colearine property and welcoming back regular guests as well as new visitors’.

The Andras Hotels portfolio includes two Ibis Hotels in Belfast which are brands from the Accor group, along with the Crowne Plaza Belfast, Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre, Holiday Inn Express Belfast City and Hampton by Hilton Belfast City.