Hotel Indigo impresses with 26% room growth in Q1; continues building strong pipeline

By: Hotel Indigo | 0 Shares 120 Reads

May 19, 2008 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA - Hotel Indigo continued its growth momentum with a strong first quarter 2008 as the brand opened three new hotels totaling nearly 400 rooms - increasing its room count by 26 percent. Also during the quarter, Hotel Indigo signed license agreements for six additional hotels (780 rooms) in the United States. The brand contributed to IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [Lon: IHG; NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] having a solid performance in the first quarter in the Americas region as the company expanded its pipeline to more than 146,000 rooms (nearly 1,400 hotels) across its seven brands - InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

Since its launch as the industry's first branded boutique hotel in 2004, the Hotel Indigo brand has strategically opened properties across the Americas region. The brand recently announced the opening of its 15th property which is located in the Chicago suburb of Vernon Hills, Ill. Hotel Indigo has more than 60 hotels under development, either in the pipeline or in final negotiations. Future sites of Hotel Indigo hotels will include Miami, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; San Antonio, Texas; Baltimore, Md.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and New York, N.Y.

Hotel Indigo also signed its first property outside the Americas region - in London, England - which is scheduled to open this summer. The newly converted hotel will have 64-guest rooms and will be located in London's Paddington area, in the City of Westminster. The Hotel Indigo London Paddington property was chosen because of the undersupply of quality branded hotels in the area and will be the first of many Hotel Indigo projects in London.

"We couldn't be more pleased with the impressive growth of Hotel Indigo in the Americas region," said Jim Anhut, senior vice president, Franchise Development, the Americas, IHG. "Now we will move the excitement overseas with the launch of the first Hotel Indigo outside the Americas region in London this summer. Hotel Indigo will be the first globally branded boutique property in the U.K. and the brand's style-driven approach is expected to appeal to the growing market of travelers looking for an upscale property which combines a central city location with genuine service and style."

The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004, followed by Hotel Indigo Chicago Gold Coast; Chicago Schaumburg North; Houston at the Galleria; Hotel Indigo Dallas; Ottawa Downtown City Centre, Canada; Hotel Indigo Scottsdale, Ariz.; Hotel Indigo Sarasota, Fla; Hotel Indigo Buffalo-Amherst, N.Y.; Hotel Indigo Nashville West End; Hotel Indigo Mérida Hacienda Misné, Mexico; Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside; Hotel Indigo Columbus Downtown, Ind.; and Hotel Indigo Fishers-Indy's Uptown. For more information on Hotel Indigo, or to make reservations, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

About Hotel Indigo:

The newest member of the IHG family, Hotel Indigo is known as the industry's first branded boutique hotel, artfully combining the conveniences and consistencies of a brand hotel with the design cache and service personality of a boutique at an attractive price. Renewal is the soul of Hotel Indigo's retail-inspired design concept - thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh. Guestrooms feature signature murals, area rugs, fluffy duvets and slipcovers that will change periodically, while public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing aromas, music, artwork, murals and directional signage. From relaxed café dining to high-style rooms - Hotel Indigo creates an intriguing, warm and inviting environment for guests. For more information on Hotel Indigo, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 590,000 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, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.

IHG pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus. We're the first major hotel group to have measured our environmental and carbon footprints and we're in the process of setting reduction targets.

With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG needs to find around 150,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com.

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