metro hotels came into business in the mid 1970s with acquisitions of three hotels including the metro inn edgecliff on new south head road in 1976, metro hotel miranda in the sutherland shire, in 1978, and metro inn ryde on victoria road in 1977. metro hotels also operated the landmark canberra rex hotel in canberra for a period until 1988. president of the united states, lyndon johnson stayed at the canberra rex hotel during his visit to australia in 1966. in 1988, the canberra rex hotel was sold to millie phillips.