Two new ibis properties have been unveiled in Belfast, Northern Ireland, after Accor - the company which owns the brand - secured a franchise agreement with hotel group Andras House.

The ibis Belfast City Centre and ibis Queens Quarter hotels - the first to launch under the ibis brand in Northern Ireland - are the result of a £12m investment by Accor and increases its UK portfolio of ibis properties to 54. ibis Belfast City Centre, which is situated on Castle Street near the city's main shopping district and the Titanic Quarter, boasts 124 bedrooms, a café and a bar, while ibis Queens Quarter - near Queen's University - has 50 bedrooms.

Jean-Jacques Dessors, chief operating officer for Accor Hospitality UK, said: "Expansion into Northern Ireland represents a significant move towards our goal of becoming a reference point for economy hotels worldwide with quality services at very attractive prices. "These are also the first ibis franchised hotels in the UK and the launch demonstrates our commitment to our new development strategy to sign and open more franchise properties across Accor brands present in the British Isles."