December 04, 2008 // Franchising.com // Atlanta - IHG's (InterContinental Hotels Group®) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] upscale extended-stay hotel brand, Staybridge Suites® celebrates its tenth anniversary this week with 142 hotels open and a robust global pipeline of 178 hotels under construction or approved for development. To commemorate the ten-year milestone, a press event was held today at the first Staybridge Suites hotel in Alpharetta, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta.
On Dec. 6, 1998, IHG, then Bass Hotels & Resorts opened its first Staybridge Suites hotel to fulfill the needs of the business traveler who spends weeks and months at a time on the road. Today, Staybridge Suites is the fastest-growing hotel brand in its segment.
"In 2007, Staybridge Suites reached its 100th hotel opening faster than any other brand in the upscale extended-stay hotel segment," said Robert Radomski, vice president, Brand Management, Extended-Stay Brands, IHG. "Less than two years later, we're celebrating our ten-year anniversary with an additional 42 hotels open; almost half of what we opened over the course of our first eight years. Part of a resilient hotel segment even in today's economy, we expect to double in size over the next few years as the development pipeline opens," he added.
Staybridge Suites has celebrated many accomplishments since the brand was established in 1998:
"Launching the Staybridge Suites brand was a true victory for IHG," said Radomski. "Not only did the brand succeed in distribution growth, revenue performance and segment-firsts over the past ten years, it succeeded in what is perhaps the most important thing of all--guests asking us to 'build more' through feedback surveys year after year."
Most of this feedback was based on the brand's comfortable, home-like surroundings and interaction offered by the hotels' staff. Staybridge Suites continues to encourage guest interaction by fostering a sense of residential community among long-stay guests. The Outdoor Living Room and Gathering Table are some of the latest brand hallmarks that serve as places for guests to socialize during their stay. To commemorate the ten-year milestone, and honor its position as the "first," the Staybridge Suites Alpharetta-Northpoint will now feature:
The original Staybridge Suites hotel is managed by InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc. on behalf of HPT TRS IHG-1, Inc., an affiliate of Hospitality Properties Trust. The property is located at 3980 Northpoint Pkwy., Alpharetta, Ga.
Staybridge Suites® is an innovative all-suite hotel brand designed to meet the needs of extended-stay guests. It is ideal for travelers seeking a residential-style hotel that is perfect for business, relocation and vacations. Amenities include: three suite types (deluxe studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom/2 bath) with fully equipped kitchens, highly functional work areas, two-line speaker phone with voicemail and direct dial access and free high-speed internet access. Staybridge Suites offers free "Wireless Anywhere", complimentary daily deluxe breakfast buffet and evening Sundowner reception three days a week, and 24-hour business services featuring complimentary PC work stations and free Internet access.
The Staybridge Suites brand continues to grow rapidly with more than 140 hotels open across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. There are 178 Staybridge Suites in the pipeline, including 13 outside of the Americas.
Staybridge Suites was recently named best in customer satisfaction during both the first and second quarters of 2008. Based on 35,000 customer interviews in a Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) quarterly survey, guests named Staybridge Suites the leader in customer satisfaction within the upscale hotel segment. Staybridge Suites' score surpassed thirteen other hotel brands in this category.
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 4,100 hotels and more than 600,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised 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 programme, Priority Club® Rewards with 40 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.
Staybridge Suites® is an innovative, all-suite hotel brand designed to meet the needs of extended stay guests seeking a warm sense of community in a home-like environment that is perfect for business, relocation and vacations.