Pub and restaurant operator Urban & Country Leisure (UCL) is to launch a new boutique hotel chain in the UK with the opening of its first property later this year.

UCL, which currently operates fourteen pub/restaurants across the UK, has invested £1.5m transforming the former Globe Hotel in Warwick into a hotel, to be called The Lazy Cow.

Currently under construction, the 16-bedroom hotel is expected to open in October and is part of an aggressive two-year expansion plan that will see UCL open a further ten small boutique hotels.

The group also has plans to expand its pub and restaurant estate with a further twelve sites in 2011-12 as part of its overall £15m expansion plans.

UCL's strategy will be based on establishing quality and bespoke boutique style hotel accommodation attached to gastro pubs.

Each bedroom at the Lazy Cow will be designed and themed by designers Tibbatts Kirk Abel.

All rooms will have high technology gadgets installed - including Apple iPads, 32-inch HD TV's, WIFI and iPods players.

There will also be "Lazy Cow Swag Bags" - encouraging guests to take home the hotel's bathrobes, towels and unique range of its own branded toiletries.

The hotel will also provide customers with access to a fleet of bicycles.

UCL is owned by entrepreneur Ross Sanders, who said the portfolio of boutique hotels will target upmarket visitors looking for destination weekend breaks.

He said: "The Lazy Cow is the first of what we hope to establish as a chain of small, intimate, stylish boutique hotels that have a strong accent on quality accommodation, stylish interiors with exceptional food and drink offerings.

"Our aim is to provide the best possible accommodation offering to the tourist, business and destination weekend break markets."

UCL operations director Harwood Warrington, who is also operations director for UCL's pub and restaurant estate, will be charged with the launch of the Lazy Cow and the operational development of the UCL hotel chain.

Image: Ross Sanders, owner of UCL