Whitbread PLC, owner of the Premier Inn brand, has announced the upcoming opening of its Premier Inn hotel at Belfast International Airport. This new development is part of the company’s growth strategy, aimed at enhancing its presence in key transport hubs across the UK and Ireland.
A New 81-Room Hotel in Belfast
This project adds to Whitbread’s series of strategic investments in UK airports, following the addition of more than 550 Premier Inn rooms at Manchester, Edinburgh, and Belfast airports since September 2024.
The Belfast Premier Inn will feature 81 rooms and will be located in close proximity to the airport, one of the busiest in Northern Ireland, which handles around six million passengers annually. Construction of the hotel, which already has planning approval, will commence in 2025, with an opening planned for 2026. The hotel will include an on-site restaurant and bar, 125 parking spaces, and seven spaces designated for persons with reduced mobility. The development will also feature landscaped gardens and improved site access. Approximately 30 permanent jobs will be created upon the hotel’s opening.
Continued Expansion in the UK and Ireland
Whitbread currently operates more than 85,500 rooms across 855 locations in the UK and Ireland, with an ambition to expand its network to 125,000 rooms in the region. The acquisition of the Belfast hotel represents a significant development for the company, which continues to expand its portfolio in Europe.
“Securing such a prime location at Belfast International Airport reinforces our commitment to growing our network in key travel hubs across the UK and Ireland. The site offers an exceptional opportunity to serve the airport’s six million passengers annually, providing them with the quality, comfort, and affordability Premier Inn is known for. The Belfast acquisition is the third airport hotel we have signed in six months, reflecting the consistently strong and growing demand for travel and the excellent investment opportunities these locations offer.” – Jill Anderson, Acquisition Manager for Whitbread
The development of the Belfast Premier Inn hotel also represents an investment of over £6 million by Whitbread. It is the first Premier Inn opening in Northern Ireland since the launch of the Lisburn Premier Inn in 2019.
New Opportunities in Belfast and Beyond
In addition to the Belfast opening, Whitbread is actively exploring new locations for Premier Inn hotels, including sites in Belfast city center, Enniskillen, and Newry. The company aims to strengthen its presence in Northern Ireland, complementing its existing establishments in Belfast, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Lisburn, and Derry/Londonderry.
