A Holiday Inn Express has been taken over by a national hotel operator after being advertised with another site for £11.5 million.

The 105-bedroom destination in Minster, Ramsgate, which was put on the market by Christie and Co, has been snapped up by Starboard Hotels along with another location under the same brand in Tamworth.

Starboard now owns 13 hotels including five Holiday Inn Express sites.

Managing director Paul Callingham said: “We are delighted to be expanding further and welcome the two Holiday Inn Express properties and their teams into the Starboard family.

“Both are great hotels with dedicated teams in superb locations and with excellent reputations, which we will continue to develop.”