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Colombia's Second Holiday Inn Express Opens in Bogota

By: Holiday Inn Express |  2 Shares     166 Reads

Midscale brand continues growth in Latin America

June 17, 2009 // Franchising.com // Miami, FL - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced that the Holiday Inn Express Bogota has opened. The 11-story 76-room hotel joins the Holiday Inn Express Medellin, as the second Holiday Inn Express brand in Colombia. Located in the OXO Center of Bogotá, the Holiday Inn Express Bogota is situated in close proximity to the trendy "Parque de la 93" district.

The Holiday Inn Express Bogota is owned and managed by Grupo Contempo S.A., under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. It features a fully equipped business center, five boardroom-style meeting rooms, fitness center, and free wireles Internet access, as well as a free breakfast bar.

"We are very proud to be opening this hotel as we continue to grow our midscale brands throughout Latin America," said Alvaro Diago, Area President of IHG, Latin America. "Colombia is an important market for IHG, and we have a rich history of more than 55 years in the country. We are excited to be growing our presence in Colombia with a fresh and innovative brand in a dynamic city like Bogota."

Bogota is both the capital and largest metropolitan city in Colombia. It is a pulsating city with elegant towns cut by beautiful cobblestone roads often compared to the look of many European cities. Founded in 1538, Bogota has become one of Latin America's most aggressive business economies.

The OXO Center of Bogotá, where the hotel is located, is bordered by shops, restaurants and an array of entertainment venues located in the exclusive neighborhood "Parque de la 93". The hotel is 25 minutes from the airport, at Calle 94, Number 11A-12.

"We are thrilled to be opening this property together with IHG," said Andrea Torres of Grupo Contempo, S.A. "IHG is one of the most respected hotel companies in the world, and they have the most attractive brands," adds Torres. "We're certain travelers will find that the Holiday Inn Express Bogota is a modern hotel providing the utmost in comfort."

The Holiday Inn Express Bogota will feature the brand's new sign, which marks the seal of approval that this hotel exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the program was established to create a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The program focuses on arrival and welcome services, guestroom, and guest bath comfort. The global estate of more than 3,200 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 800 hotels have been relaunched to date.

Elements of the relaunch for Holiday Inn Express include:

Redesigned Brand Signage

An evolution of the iconic script logo, energizing the signature color green and eliminating the current shield shape for a more refreshed and contemporary look.

Warm Welcome

A new signature arrival - including new lighting, landscaping and design features - that creates an energized and branded sense of welcome that is universally recognizable. Customized music and scent selections also engage guests in a complete sensory experience, and a decluttered front desk to promote a more efficient and interactive check-in process.

New Service Promise

A best-in-class service culture - "Stay Real" - to further ensure the team develops the behaviors and skills to best serve guests so they feel like individuals and not numbers. Genuine people delivering real service. Leading the charge will be a newly created position at each hotel - the Guest Experience Champion.

Guests at the Holiday Inn Express will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure. The hotel's newly enhanced complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar will feature a full range of breakfast items including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and coffee. The SimplySmartTM shower incorporates a proprietary Stay SmartTM Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, and upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels. And, guests will enjoy the SimplySmartTM bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

With the addition of the Holiday Inn Express Bogota, IHG now has five properties in Colombia including the InterContinental Cali, the InterContinental Medellin, the renowned Crowne Plaza Tequendama Bogota, and the Holiday Inn Express Medellin.

Holiday Inn Express participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. With 43 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 4,200 hotels worldwide.

IHG has more than 180 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for over 60 years. IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, and has hotels situated in nearly every key market throughout the Latin America territory.

About Holiday Inn Express

Holiday Inn Express is the modern hotel for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart® at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start® Breakfast Bar, free high-speed internet access and free local phone calls (US only). There are currently more than 1,900 Holiday Inn Express locations around the globe.

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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