Leonardo Hotels has opened its first UK hotel, having agreed a new 25-year lease with The Standard Life Investments Pooled Pension Property Fund.

Opening in the former Holiday Inn on Bath Road, Heathrow, the 230-room hotel has been re-branded as the Leonardo Hotel London Heathrow Airport.

It will benefit from a substantial refurbishment bringing it in line with the distinctive Leonardo Hotels ‘look and feel’ that is already well established in a growing number of key European cities.

These include Antwerp, Berlin, Bruges, Budapest, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, and Zurich, as well as across Israel.

Saar Sharon, chief executive, Leonardo Hotels UK, is leading the group’s expansion in the UK – with Heathrow being the first opening.

Daniel Roger, managing director of Leonardo Hotels Europe, explained: “We are pleased to announce that with this exciting hotel opening we are now poised for growth in the UK market.

“London Heathrow is a global hub where we can offer our guests an attractive hotel stay, build our UK business and continue to pursue our rigorous commitment to offer additional European destinations.”

Standard Life Investments was advised by CBRE.