City Inn, the private hotel developer and operator backed by Bank of Scotland, is reportedly set to initiate a £330m expansion programme over the next four years, including the opening of its first property overseas and scouting for a number of other potential sites in Europe.

The group currently has four hotels – in London, Bristol, Birmingham and Glasgow – with a fifth site in Manchester due to open in early 2007 at the Piccadilly Place development.

According to The Times, three further properties have been put into development, including a 600-room hotel near the Tower of London and a 500-room hotel in Amsterdam.

Speaking to the newspaper, City Inn’s chief executive David Orr said he believed that the most significant development was Amsterdam. He said: “It is a flagship project that represents a very material first international step. We want to go to all the major European cities.” Details: www.cityinn.com

Photograph: An architect’s impression of the Piccadilly Place development