Boutique brand charms travelers with locally-inspired design and guest-focused service
April 17, 2009 // Franchising.com // Miami - Continuing the boutique brand's global rollout, Hotel Indigo today announced the opening of its first property in Central America. The 100-room Hotel Indigo is located in San Jose's upscale neighborhood of Santa Ana, one of the city's fastest developing areas and an excellent starting point to visit some of the world's most compelling eco-tourism destinations.
Uniquely designed to reflect the local culture, character and geography of the surrounding area, Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum showcases Costa Rica's tropical climate and natural settings by incorporating oversized and artistic photographic images throughout the hotel of tropical flowers, waterfalls, coffee beans and dynamic elements of the rain forest. The use of water features at the main entrance and lobby along with contrasting colors and different textures from the floors to the ceiling are an understated homage to the country's natural resources.
From the locally-inspired murals to the seasonal renewal program where the images, music, scent, and menu items change four times a year, Hotel Indigo delivers a vibrant, engaging and genuine boutique experience that gives guests the confidence to step out and explore the local neighborhood.
Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum is located at the Del Centro Empresarial Forum Dos, the city's latest and most prominent commercial office development, which provides business and leisure travelers easy access to shopping, coffee houses, and gourmet restaurants. In addition, the three-story boutique hotel is just 15 minutes from the Juan Santamaria Airport and adjacent to a major thoroughfare that connects to Escazu, the prominent residential and business district of the city.
The Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum Costa Rica is owned by Prime Holding, under a license agreement with IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and the second largest hotel operator in Latin America.
IHG properties currently operating in Costa Rica include Real InterContinental Hotel & Club Tower Costa Rica, Crowne Plaza Corobici San Jose, Holiday Inn San Jose - Aurola and Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport.
"We believe the Hotel Indigo model strikes a great balance by providing guests the refreshing design and intimate service synonymous with a boutique along with the consistency, reliability, and accessibility of a branded hotel, " said Luis Fernandez, president, Prime Holding. "Hotel Indigo has been incredibly well-received in North America and we are confident that it will thrive in San Jose."
"IHG is very well represented in Costa Rica and the opening of Hotel Indigo further strengthens our position as the country's leading international hotel company," said Alvaro Diago, area president, Latin America, IHG. "We are very proud to be opening the first Hotel Indigo in the region with such a respected franchise partner, Prime Holding."
Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum features inviting guestrooms with plush bedding, hard-surface flooring with area rugs, oversized artistic photo murals of local imagery, 37-inch flat screen TV, iPod/MP3 alarm clock radio, spa-inspired showers with complimentary Aveda bath products; and complimentary high-speed Internet access in guest rooms and public spaces. Additionally, the hotel provides guests convenient access to meeting facilities and a 24-hour business center; a sauna and spa; an outdoor swimming pool and well-equipped fitness studio.
Dining options include the Golden Bean Restaurant, which serves international and local dishes from beef broth with organic vegetables and natural chicken consommé to Costa Rican-style fish ceviche, and Phi Bar & Lounge, a causal gourmet bistro and full-service bar. Highlighting a national commodity, the hotel serves Café Britt homegrown Costa Rican coffee - a favorite of tourists and locals alike.
"Through Interpret Indigo, the brand's flexible design concept that works with adaptive reuse, mixed-use, new builds, and conversions, each hotel is distinctly different from neighborhood to neighborhood and country to country," said Janis Cannon, vice president, global brand management, Hotel Indigo. "From London Paddington to San Jose, Hotel Indigo is delivering a highly-differentiated and upscale hotel experience to guests and developers across the globe."
Meeting the desires of today's traveler, Hotel Indigo is an upscale boutique brand that delivers a refreshing and inviting guest experience that is truly reflective of the local community. There are currently 26 Hotel Indigo properties open worldwide and more than 60 hotels under development, either in the pipeline or in final negotiation. By the end of 2009, Hotel Indigo will almost double its footprint in the Americas opening properties in New York City, San Diego, St. Louis, and Toronto. For more information on Hotel Indigo, or to make reservations, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.
Hotel Indigo participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. With 42 million members worldwide, Priority Club Rewards is the industry's first and largest guest loyalty program. Guests can enroll for free by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG's more than 4,150 hotels worldwide.
IHG has more than 160 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America as the well as the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for over 60 years. IHG has hotels situated in nearly every key market in the Latin America territory.
Notes to Editors:
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, more than 4,150 hotels and almost 620,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with 42 million members worldwide.
IHG has more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 200,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
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