This latest addition to the Whitbread network is the fourth new Premier Inn hotel to open in Scotland this calendar year and is the most northerly in the network.

The new hotel, which opened last Friday (9 July), is located in the heart of Thurso on Ormille Road, which has become a popular location for staycations and adventure tourism thanks to the North Coast 500.

The hotel has created 35 new permanent jobs.

Richard Aldread, head of construction for Whitbread in the UK regions, said: “We have been extremely busy in Scotland this year with four new hotel openings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hamilton and now Thurso. Together the new hotels add 566 Premier Inn rooms to our growing network in popular urban and leisure locations in Scotland and we are continuing to invest with a further 60-bedroom extension to our popular Edinburgh Princes Street hotel which currently on-site.

“Our guests have always sought out Premier Inn hotels for their leisure trips and holidays. Thurso adds another unique location to our network, and with many new Premier Inn’s opening in other adventure and leisure hotspots this year, we are able to offer our guests even more choice for their get-away or extended break.”

Fred Berman, director at Pentland Property Ltd who developed the hotel for Whitbread, added: “We are delighted to see the Premier Inn Thurso hotel open. It has been a pleasure working with the Whitbread team and our contractors Morrison Construction who have delivered an excellent new hotel. We wish Premier Inn Thurso every success and hope all their guests have a most enjoyable stay.”

In total Whitbread expects to open around 3,000 new Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn bedrooms this financial year.

The new openings to date in Scotland include a new Beefeater restaurant at Hamilton and Scotland’s first Bar + Block Steakhouse restaurant which opened as part of the new Premier Inn at St Enoch Square in Glasgow.

The company is also currently looking for new locations for Premier Inn across Scotland in Dunblane, Ballater, Callandar, the Isle of Skye and Largs.