The new-build properties will open in Bogota, Cartagena and Barranquilla
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], announces the signing of three new Holiday Inn Express hotels in Colombia. The hotels, owned and managed by Grupo Contempo S.A., under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group, will be located in the key cities of Bogota, Cartagena and Barranquilla. IHG?s relationship with Grupo Contempo began in 2008 with the signing and opening of the Holiday Inn Express Bogota in the vibrant neighborhood of ?Parque de la 93.?
The new properties, scheduled to open in 2014, will add 450 rooms to IHG?s existing portfolio in Colombia, which currently includes eight hotels and 1,910 rooms. The new hotels will also complement IHG?s four existing Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties in the country.
?Expanding in the Colombia market is one of IHG?s main focuses in Latin America,? said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, IHG, the Americas. ?With a growing economy and an expanding middle class, we foresee a strong demand for midscale hotels in the country. Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing midscale hotel brands,and these three signings are a testament to the strength and winning formula the brand offers owners.?
The Holiday Inn Express Bogota OXO 67thwill be the second hotel that Grupo Contempo will develop in Colombia?s capital city, Bogota. The hotel will be part of a mixed-use complex, consisting of an office tower, a hotel tower and retail on the ground floor. The seven-story, 100-room hotel will be located in the heart of the financial district, close to the main corporate offices of major multinational companies; embassies and consulates; the National Theater; and ?Zona G? (G Zone), renowned for its restaurants and bars.
The 200-room Holiday Inn Express Cartagena will be located in the heart of the Bocagrande district, one of the city?s most popular tourist spots. Encircled by a vibrant commercial and residential area, the 15-story hotel will be within close proximity to a variety of popular restaurants, shops, cafes and bars. The Holiday Inn Express Cartagena will boast a business center, a swimming pool and a fitness facility.
The Holiday Inn Express Barranquilla will be situated adjacent to the modern Buenavista Shopping Mall & Entertainment Center in one of Barranquilla?s most exclusive neighborhoods. The 18-story, 150-room hotel is within walking distance to a variety of high-end boutiques, shops and restaurants. The hotel will also feature a swimming pool, a business center and a fitness facility.
The new hotels will exemplify the $1 billion Holiday Inn relaunch, the largest project of its kind in the history of the hospitality industry. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program creates a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The program focuses on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.
?We continue to add momentum to our current Colombia development pipeline,? said Alvaro Diago, COO, Latin America and Caribbean Region for IHG. ?Grupo Contempo is a fantastic partner who knows the market well, helping us facilitate our main objective of continuing the broad distribution of the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands throughout key business and leisure hubs in Colombia.?
?We are thrilled to partner with IHG on these three properties,? addedErnesto Estefan of Grupo Contempo S.A. ?The Holiday Inn Express brand attracts the precise demographic we are seeking for our hotels. We are confident of the success that these hotels will have in these important cities.?
Guests at the new hotels will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure. The hotel?s newly enhanced complimentary Express Start?breakfast bar will feature a full range of breakfast items including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and the brand?s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart?Roast?coffee. The SimplySmart? shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart? Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products. Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart? bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.
Standard Holiday Inn Express guest rooms feature comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, in room coffee machine. Business travelers will find large desks with ergonomic chairs and free high-speed internet access.
IHG has 42 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, 92 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels in Mexico, and has been serving Latin America for 65 years. IHG, with hotels situated in nearly every key market throughout the region, has nearly 200 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Holiday Inn hotels participate in IHG?s guest loyalty program, Priority Club? Rewards, the industry?s first and largest guest loyalty program with more than 63 millionmembers globally. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging onwww.priorityclub.com, calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG?s nearly 4,400 hotelsworldwide.
Source: IHG