InterContinental Bangkok unveils fresh new look following a THB890 million refurbishment programme

Bangkok, 26 May 2009 - An extensive THB890 million (US$25.9 million) refurbishment programme at InterContinental Bangkok is now complete.

New look and feel

The changes become evident upon arrival, with the reconfigured entrance driveway and the glass-covered walk-in entry at pavement level. Inside, guests take in a completely transformed hotel. In the lobby, clean lines and subtle textures are carried throughout, anchored by a contemporary crystal chandelier, pleated sculptural columns and rich wall features inspired by traditional Thai motifs.

The new look and feel emerges throughout the hotel, in every refurbished guest room and suite, in the dining and entertainment venues and on to sky-high Spa InterContinental and Infinity Fitness with panoramic views of Bangkok. The Club InterContinental Lounge on the 37^th floor offers the same far-reaching views of the city skyline. Renewal reaches all the way to the free-form rooftop pool terrace.

Innovative concepts, market knowledge

The hotel's lobby features an adjoining Concierge Lounge, the first of its kind in Thailand. Within a glass-enclosed setting with views onto one of Bangkok's liveliest districts, guests are invited to sit back and relax whilst interacting with the hotel's multi-lingual Concierge team, headed by Chief Concierge Athipol Soonthornsingh. The Concierge Lounge is a new feature at selected InterContinental hotels worldwide, and is where knowledgeable team members share authentic, enriching local tips so guests leave with more to share.

InterContinental Dining Experiences

InterContinental Bangkok has always enjoyed a reputation as the leading hotel in Bangkok for wining and dining with its innovative restaurant and bar concepts.  A team of culinary experts come from diverse cultures to create truly global dining experiences at all of the hotel's restaurants and bars. 

New to the hotel is Grossi Trattoria and Wine Bar - a partnership with Guy Grossi, Melbourne-based Australian restaurateur, author and celebrity chef - which brings true family-style authentic Italian dining to the city. Also new to the hotel is a gourmet chocolate and shop confectionery Choc! allows guests to view the entire chocolate-making process.

Along with existing venues such as Summer Palace for elegant Cantonese dining, and Fireplace Grill where prime cuts and fine wines have been specialities for more than 40 years, InterContinental Bangkok now features the wholly redesigned Espresso restaurant for international buffets and an innovative Sunday Brunch concept. The hotel also has a new location for The Deli, a popular neighbourhood favourite for gourmet light meals, snacks and refreshing beverages. A new element to the revamped Balcony Lounge is the Humidor, Bangkok's first authentic cigar bar.

"Amid all the changes, two aspects remain constant: every associate's commitment towards giving of gracious and excellent service and sharing their local knowledge with guests," said Markus Platzer, general manager, InterContinental Bangkok. "With the refurbishment, the hotel retains its status as one of IHG's flagship InterContinental hotels in the South East Asian region."

InterContinental Bangkok has long specialised in regional and overseas MICE, group bookings and FITs. Flexible conference and event space is fully integrated on a single floor, making the hotel a premier venue for multi-purpose and themed events.

For those in the know

Now fully renovated and featuring sophisticated new facilities, InterContinental Bangkok exemplifies the kind of subtle elegance and functional luxury favoured by frequent international travellers attuned to authentic experience.

Well-placed in a central district holding abundant lifestyle shopping locations and major business addresses, the hotel is within easy walking distance of what astute travellers seek in a contemporary urban hotel.

InterContinental Bangkok is dedicated to providing local, authentic and enriching travel experiences.  Research with target business and leisure travellers revealed that they often go out of their way to make new discoveries and are more interested in the most authentic local bar or restaurant, rather than the most expensive or popular.

In addition to luxury and a consistent level of service, these customers are looking for experiences that set them apart from their peers and help them feel more worldly, sophisticated and "in the know".

For those in the know, there is indeed a new expression of luxury in Bangkok: InterContinental Bangkok.

For press and media inquiries, please contact:

Panasporn Pam Nopasri
Director of Marketing Communications
InterContinental Bangkok
T +66 2 656 0444
F +66 2 656 0994
[email protected]

Notes to Editors:

About InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has 158 hotels globally and 39 in Asia Pacific, located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 60 years of experience. At InterContinental we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different, is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-travelled guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook. For more information, visit http://www.intercontinental.com/ and http://www.intercontinentalvideo.com/. 

About IHG 

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 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 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.

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. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media