Six Continents Hotels will build 20 Express by Holiday Inn hotels in Spain within the next five years.

The hotels will be owned and developed by Med Group, a Spanish property and development company and managed by Six Continents.

Opening in key Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga; this latest deal with Med Group strengthens Six Continents plans to expand Express by Holiday Inns into Europe. There are currently 100 in Europe, 70 of which are in the UK.

The hotels, in the limited services sector, are aimed at both business and leisure travellers and offer guests basic rooms with a free continental breakfast.

Shane Harris, Vice President of Development and Investments at Six Continents said ' The new partnership with Med Group ties in well with our overall development strategy for Express by Holiday Inn in Spain.'

In the long term, the group plans to open 60 Express by Holiday Inn hotels throughout Spain over the next seven years.