Three people were sitting in the bus waiting to be taken to the nearby Carlton Hotel when two men boarded and drove it away, The Irish Times reports.

The pair allegedly drove along the M1 before pulling off to drop off the passengers at the City North Hotel.

It was only when the travellers – an English couple and a Colombian national – realised they were at the wrong hotel that they realised something was wrong.

The two suspects were arrested later on Wednesday after allegedly stealing a second vehicle.