Irish-based hotel company Great National Hotels & Resorts is planning on adding to the 27 hotels currently in its portfolio with a major expansion in the UK.

The group says it will sign up three more independent properties by the end of 2013, bringing its total to 20 hotels in Ireland and 10 in the UK with more than 1,500 bedrooms across all of its properties.

Plans following this will see expansion plans focused on three and four-star independent hotels within a two or three hour radius of Manchester, as well as taking on more hotels in Ireland in the Ulster and midlands areas.

Rapid expansion plans see the group aiming to have 50 hotels by the end of 2014 and then doubling that number by the end of 2015.

Great National offer a range of hotels comprising a variety of business, leisure and spa facilities. The company, which launched in February 2010 and moved into the UK in June 2010, has a varying range of independent hotels in its portfolio from the boutique-style Victoria House Hotel in Killarney to the Grand Hotel located in Swansea’s city centre.