by business editor Trevor Sturgess

tsturgess@thekmgroup.co.uk

A well-known hotel has changed its name – again.

The Ramada Hotel and Resort at Hollingbourne, near Maidstone, is now the Mercure Maidstone after its previous owners Jarvis Hotels went into administration.

Jupiter Hotels has been set up to take over 24 hotels previously operated by the debt-ridden Jarvis Group.

The hotel has also been known as the Jarvis International, although it is best known locally as The Great Danes.

Workmen have removed Ramada signs and replaced these with Mercure branding.

Dominic di Cara, the general manager who tried unsuccessfully to have the familiar Great Danes name restored, told clients: "I am writing to inform you that on September 30, 2011, there was a transfer of ownership from Jarvis Hotels to Jupiter Hotels Ltd.

"Our hotel now operates under the Mercure brand through a franchise agreement with Accor, the largest hotel operator in Europe.

"As a consequence of this, the Ramada Maidstone is now known as Mercure Maidstone."

The deal takes the total number of Mercure hotels in the UK to 68. Accor is aiming for a network of 300 UK hotels by 2015.

Jupiter Hotels is a joint venture between Patron Capital and West Register, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland.