Choice Hotels International has announced the opening of the Comfort Inn Hyde Park, bringing the number of Choice-branded hotels in London to eighteen.

Previously independently run as the Park Lodge Hotel, the re-branded Comfort Inn Hyde Park has 29 newly re-furbished guest bedrooms, all with modern en-suites and featuring flat screen LCD televisions, free wi-fi, and tea and coffee making facilities. Guests also benefit from the free full English breakfast served everyday in the breakfast room. Located 200 metres from Queensway and Bayswater tube stations with easy access to both Central London and London Heathrow, the hotel is an excellent base for both business and leisure travellers.

Last month Choice Hotels announced that it opened nearly 40 new Comfort, Quality or Clarion brand properties in Europe alone during 2010. The benefits to independent hoteliers of operating under these brands include increased reservations delivered through a central online booking system and third-party travel websites, marketing support and powerful seasonal and national advertising campaigns, as well as a large and experienced sales force able to negotiate with major travel agents.The company also operates an award-winning global loyalty programme with more than 12 million members.

Duncan Berry, UK CEO, Choice Hotels Europe commented: “We are delighted to open this new London Hotel which will serve both leisure and business travellers looking for a value-added competitively priced hotel. With the forthcoming 2012 Olympics we believe all our 18 London-based Choice-branded hotels are well-positioned to benefit from the inbound tourism expected next year.”

Sayeed Esmail, Director of Operations for SME Group Plc who operates the Comfort Inn Hyde Park hotel under a franchise agreement, commented: “We wanted to work with a strong global franchise brand and Choice Hotels Europe fitted the bill perfectly.”

Choice Hotels Europe’s portfolio of franchised hotels offers business and leisure travellers a full spectrum from premium economy to luxury hotels. Choice Hotels Europe franchises nearly 500 hotels across Europe alone. Brands operated by Choice in Europe include Clarion which could be described as four-star, Quality, which sits in the three-star bracket and provides a mid-scale full service offering and Comfort, Choice’s largest brand worldwide and known for value and reliability.