A niche hotel group based in East Anglia has acquired four new properties.

Surya Hotels group, part of Flying Trade Group, which is behind world food firm Surya Foods in Harwich, has snapped up four of five Dragonfly hotels based across the region as it continues its expansion.

The Dragonfly chain, which has an estimated joint value of around £14million, includes the Dragonfly Hotel at Colchester, which has 50 rooms, Bury St Edmunds, which has 71, Peterborough, which comes with 70 bedrooms and King’s Lynn, with 50 rooms, which have been bought by Surya.

Surya now has a total portfolio of 11 hotels, which include Great Hallingbury Manor, near Stansted, The Kingscliff Hotel at Clacton-on-Sea, and The Mill Hotel at Sudbury.

All four Dragonfly hotels are open for business as usual and will remain under the ‘Dragonfly’ brand, with significant investment planned across the newly-acquired properties. All staff employed at the sites will transfer to Surya Hotels.

Surya Hotels managing director Suki Dulai said: “The Dragonfly portfolio is a great fit for our brand - which is all about delivering quality facilities at fantastic prices in the heart of stunning villages, towns and thriving local communities.

“We are delighted to have successfully acquired four wonderfully situated venues in East Anglia to add to our already impressive line-up in the area. “All four hotels will undergo extensive refurbishment to bring them up to the standards of others within our group.”

The sale was through agents Colliers International, and is the second purchase completed by Surya in 2015. In January, it added The historic George Hotel - one of Colchester’s most iconic and longstanding hotels - to its portfolio.

While most are based in East Anglia, the group also has two hotels in Surrey.