Marriott International plans to develop a further 40–50 Courtyard branded hotels in the UK and Ireland over the next five to 10 years.

The moderately priced branded hotels are primarily aimed at business travellers.

The company will initially target 20 cities for Courtyard hotels, including Belfast, Dublin, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Guildford, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Norwich and York.

Specific sites will include standalone locations or mixed-use developments in city centres and surburban areas.

The hotels will include a bar, a restaurant and a gym with a sauna or a spa bath.

Courtyard was initially launched in the US in 1983 and has since grown to be Marriott International’s largest brand and the world’s thirteenth largest lodging chain, with almost 700 hotel properties in 24 countries. Details: www.marriott.com