At present, there are Tulip Inns operating in Manchester and Glasgow with a third hotel currently being built in Gateshead and due to open in the late summer of 2004. Furthermore, the portfolio is complemented by the Golden Tulip Manchester and the Golden Tulip Burlington in Birmingham.

The development is part of a 334-acre regeneration site at Castleford adjacent to Junction 32 of the M62 which is being carried out by Waystone and Yorkshire Forward.

The hotel is scheduled to open later this year as Waystone will be using a pre-engineered construction method devised by Caledonian Building Systems.  The firm is the market leader in the pre-engineered accommodation sector which offers key advantages over traditional building methods. 

The modular rooms are constructed out of steel at Caledonian�s factory and stored until required on-site. This technique translates into an on-site building period of 34 weeks � some 40% quicker than traditional building methods as delays associated with bad weather are virtually eliminated.

Once completed, Golden Tulip UK will own the freehold of the £5.5 million hotel which will have on-site car parking for 110 cars.  Room rates will start at a competitive £62.50 and the Tulip Inn will also have a Bibo Bar & Bistro and Skysports in all 119 bedrooms.  The hotel will also be among the first to offer a new concept for meetings and conferences called simplymeet by Tulip Inn.  The key elements are customer control and simplicity with just a single pricing structure based on room hire.  Other facilities for business users will include wireless internet access in all meeting rooms.

The new hotel will be located opposite Xscape, Europe�s largest indoor ski and multi-leisure centre, as well as being near to major employers such as ASDA, Coca-Cola and Nestle UK. 

The Tulip Inn Castleford will be the 92nd Tulip Inn worldwide and Golden Tulip UK plans to open up to 20 more hotels within the next three years.

Peter Roberts, Managing Director of Golden Tulip UK, said: �I am delighted that Castleford is to be the site of our first hotel in Yorkshire.  The location fulfils all the criteria for a successful Tulip Inn as it has excellent motorway networks and is near to both major businesses and leisure facilities.�

Hans Kennedie, Managing Director & CEO of Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts commented: �I am delighted that Yorkshire is to get its first Tulip Inn.  This is an important step in the development of the Tulip Inn brand across the UK and for the group in general. Due to the high level of domestic travel within the UK and the increase in air travel from regional UK cities to mainland Europe, we are looking at a substantial increase in brand recognition for the entire group with each new addition.�

Golden Tulip plans to expand the Golden Tulip and Tulip Inn hotel brands in the UK and Ireland through a combination of developing existing hotels and new builds. Golden Tulip UK is backed by £33 million of funding and is implementing an ambitious expansion programme to launch 20 hotels throughout the UK and Ireland.

Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts is a privately owned franchise company with its head office based in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, franchising some 260 hotels across 41 countries, with the majority of hotels being located in urban destinations across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. Through its commercial alliance with TOP International Hotels, a German based hotel consortium, the combined portfolio comprises over 43,000 rooms in approximately 390 hotels. Golden Tulip offers a unique franchise concept for two brands, designed to implement international standards, whilst maintaining local flavours: Golden Tulip for the four and five star business and resort hotels and Tulip Inn for the three star category. TOP International Hotels offers hotel reservations, marketing and sales services to independent hotels.