17 November 2008
IHG Opens Middle East's Third Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah opens in Dubai
IHG in partnership with Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Co. has officially opened Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah. The hotel is the third Express property to open in Dubai and the second to open under the brand's new name following last year's announcement of the worldwide relaunch of the Holiday Inn brand family.
Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah has 193 modern and spacious rooms, with comfortable beds, a unique pillow menu option to ensure guests get a great night's sleep and enhanced en-suite facilities which include a power shower. The hotel also provides a fitness centre, restaurant, a bar and two meeting rooms.
Commenting on the opening, John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, IHG, Middle East and Africa (MEA), said: "Holiday Inn Express delivers an uncomplicated hotel experience, perfect for seasoned business travellers, families and large groups - and these customers are a growing market in Dubai."
"Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah is our third Express property to open in the MEA, region, underscoring our goal to be the leading provider of quality affordable accommodation in the region. We have ambitious plans and are well placed to take advantage of the high demand for limited service hotels." Bamsey concluded
Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah is close to Dubai's major business districts as well as shopping malls and the beach, ensuring that the needs of both business and leisure travellers are met.
Sami Al Ansari, Ishraq's Chief Executive Officer, Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding BSC, said: "As one of the world's fastest growing destinations, Dubai is an important market for the Holiday Inn Express brand, bringing in millions of business and leisure tourists each year. Together with IHG we plan to retain our position as the region's leading provider of limited service accommodation, through the extensive roll-out of the Express brand across the Middle East region."
Holiday Inn Express is the world's largest limited service hotel brand and growing exponentially. Since its launch in the Middle East in 2007, Holiday Inn Express has pioneered the limited service concept in the region, offering competitive pricing, quality accommodation for both business and leisure travellers and the reassurance that an international brand brings.
Across Europe, Middle East and Africa there are 183 Holiday Inn Express hotels, providing more than 21,000 rooms, with a further 54 properties in the development pipeline.
Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah will be operated by Ishraq Hospitality Management, a subsidiary of Ishraq Gulf Real Estate Holding Co., the exclusive developer of Holiday Inn Express hotels in the GCC, excluding Saudi Arabia.
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 4,100 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.
IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com/ and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at http://www.priorityclub.com/. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media