Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites to bring 2,400 new guest suites and nearly 400 new employment opportunities to the Houston area
June 04, 2009 // Franchising.com // Atlanta - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (IHG) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today that Houston can expect another 2,400 guest suites from extended-stay hotel brands Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites with 27 new hotels in the development pipeline. The two brands will nearly triple their presence in the largest city in Texas and will bring nearly 400 new jobs to the local economy.
"Houston has a broad industrial base in the energy, manufacturing, transportation, aeronautics and health care sectors, all of which create business demand for the extended-stay product," said Robert Radomski, vice president, Global Brand Management, Extended-Stay Brands, IHG. "Likewise, as both business and leisure travelers look for ways to save money when visiting Houston, they'll find additional value at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites in the form of full kitchens, extra space and complimentary amenities."
About Staybridge Suites in Houston
Staybridge Suites will add 8 additional properties to the current portfolio of four open hotels in Houston, including the recently opened $12 million Staybridge Suites Houston-Clear Lake. Located in the suburbs of Houston, near Lockheed Martin and the NASA Johnson Space Center, the hotel offers the brand's "Just Like Home Theater," situated in the common area and complete with a 52-inch plasma HDTV, surround-sound and comfortable, overstuffed chairs. Guests can take a swim in the saltwater pool, relax in the hot tub or practice their golf game on the outdoor putting green. The hotel's Outdoor Living Room encourages guest interaction, designed amid a gazebo with bar counter, outdoor HDTV and spacious courtyard.
All Staybridge Suites hotels in Houston feature three well-designed spacious suite options (deluxe studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom/two-bath). All suites include full kitchens, in-room DVD/CD players; functional, well-lit work stations with ergonomic seating and speaker phones with direct-dial number, personal voice mail and complimentary local phone calls.
Staybridge Suites properties offer exceptional guest amenities including a deluxe complimentary daily breakfast buffet featuring Wolfgang Puck coffee, complimentary guest laundry and workout facilities, a complimentary 24-hour business services center, a guest library with books and games for guest use free of charge, and BridgeMart®, a 24-hour convenience store stocked with snacks, sundries, beverages and easy-to-prepare meals.
About Candlewood Suites in Houston
Candlewood Suites will add 19 additional properties to the current portfolio of 10 hotels open in Houston, including the Candlewood Suites Houston West, which opened in early March. Situated between Interstate 10 and the West Park Tollway, the hotel is located near key area businesses including Halliburton, Sysco, and ConocoPhillips. The George R. Brown Convention Center is also just a short drive away.
All Candlewood Suites hotels in Houston feature a combination of studio or one-bedroom suite floor plans with a full kitchen, comfortable recliner, large workspace with desk chair and overhead lighting. All hotels offer the brand's Comforts of HomeTM Bedding Collection with upgraded mattresses and box spring sets, mattress topper, fluffy duvet inserts and poly-cotton covers matching the hotel's color scheme, 250-thread count micro-check sateen sheets in "Candlelight", triple sheeting, contemporary cotton estate blankets, choice of three upgraded pillow types in firm, medium and feather and a decorative "Consider Us Home" pillow.
Guests in Houston can take advantage of the just-like-home amenities available at all Candlewood Suites hotels, including complimentary high-speed Internet access, free local phone calls, free on-site guest laundry and a 24-hour fitness center. Unique to Candlewood Suites, guests can also enjoy the convenience of the Candlewood Cupboard®, where a variety of beverages, breakfast items, snacks, frozen entrees and sundries will be available for purchase on the honor system at any time and where guests can enjoy complimentary Juan Valdez freshly brewed coffee. Additionally, guests can visit the free Lending Library, where movies and music will be available for use in guestrooms, which all feature a DVD and CD player.
Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites participate in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has 43 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of these hotel or any of IHG's more than 4,200 hotels worldwide.
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, over 4,200 hotels and more than 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 43 million members worldwide.
IHG has nearly 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create around 140,000 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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