ATLANTA?? IHG? (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the exclusive hotel manager and operator of the $1 billion?Privatization of Army Lodging?(PAL) program that has brought the first-ever branded hotels to U.S. military installations, announces continued progress on the?IHG Army Hotels?portfolio. IHG, along with Lend Lease (US) Public Partnerships ? the asset manager, developer and design builder ? and the U.S. Army have broken ground on three hotels this year, including the first Staybridge Suites? hotel on a U.S. Military installation on Fort Belvoir, outside of Washington, DC, and two Candlewood Suites? hotels on Fort Huachuca, Ariz. and Fort Meade, Md. The portfolio will also open two Candlewood Suites hotels before the end of 2013 on Fort Riley, Kan. and Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. Two Holiday Inn Express? hotels will open in early 2014 on Fort Leavenworth, Kan. and Fort Buchanan in Puerto Rico.
?As a leading, global hotel company, IHG is able to deliver well-loved brands that improve the guest experience and quality at on-post lodging for Service Members, their families and government travelers,? said Arthur Holst, vice president, Operations, IHG Army Hotels. ?This commitment to meeting guests? needs is what we deliver to those staying at our more than 4,600 IHG-branded hotels around the world. Throughout the IHG Army Hotels portfolio, we are utilizing the breadth of our diverse brands to provide the right amenities and the right services on-post.?
Since the PAL program commenced in 2009, six Holiday Inn Express hotels (1,277?guest rooms) have opened on U.S. military posts and another eight Holiday Inn Express hotels (1,550 guest rooms) are currently under development. The?Holiday Inn Express?brand remains one of the largest and fastest growing hotel brands and is the ideal choice for the smart traveler, offering them a great night?s rest while helping them be productive on the go. Work will continue on the IHG Army Hotels portfolio over the next several years to convert or retro-fit hotels to the Holiday Inn Express brand standards.
?We are proud to be a part of IHG Army Hotels portfolio with the existing Holiday Inn Express hotels that currently serve on-post guests, and the new properties that will join the brand over the duration of the PAL program,? said Heather Balsley, senior vice president, Americas Holiday Inn Brand Family. ?With more than 2,200 properties worldwide, the Holiday Inn Express portfolio features modern hotels that provide guests with a fresh, clean and uncomplicated stay experience.?
IHG?s extended stay brands ??Staybridge Suites?and?Candlewood Suites?? are the flags for new-build hotels in the IHG Army Hotels portfolio. Currently under development on U.S. military posts are a Staybridge Suites hotel (141 guest rooms) and five Candlewood Suites properties (884 guest rooms), including a 310-room hotel on Joint Base San Antonio that will be the world?s largest Candlewood Suites hotel when it opens.
The Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands offer amenities and services that are ideal for extended stay guests, whose length of stay is often five or more nights. The hotels will offer an all-suite, residential-style hotel experience with fully-equipped kitchens, comfortable common areas and complimentary amenities.
?We are excited to add our brand flags to the IHG Army Hotels portfolio and provide exceptional service to on-post, extended stay guests,? said Robert Radomski, vice president, Brand Management, Staybridge Suites? and Candlewood Suites? brands. ?The Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands are a great fit for members of the military, their families and those traveling on official business who value added space and the home-like hotel experience these brands offer.?
Also in 2013, newly-renovated historical buildings on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Fort Sill, used as lodging facilities, were officially renamed the Historia Collection?, due to the historical significance of the buildings on these posts. The Historia Collection? lodging facilities are managed and operated by IHG within the IHG Army Hotels portfolio.
There are 350,000 people around the world who bring IHG?s board portfolio of nine hotel brands to life every day. IHG Army Hotels directly employ about 1,800 people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. IHG has a commitment to its people, and utilizes proprietary tools to hire, train and develop world-class talent. IHG will continue to fill positions in new hotels in the IHG Army Hotels portfolio, including Management, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Maintenance and Food and Beverage. For more information or to learn about career opportunities with IHG Army Hotels, please visit?IHGpal.com?or?IHG-veterans.jobs. To book a stay, please visit?www.IHGArmyHotels.com.