Holiday Inn Express to debut in Singapore's premier district

Singapore, 16 September 2010 - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today announced the signing of the first Holiday Inn Express hotel for Singapore, which is set to open in the heart of Orchard Road by 2013. Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road will fly the flag of the world's most iconic hotel brand in Singapore's best-known retail, entertainment and residential district.

The present Wellington Building at Bideford Road will be developed into a 220-room hotel. Orchard Road has more than 40 shopping and entertainment complexes, complemented by restaurants, hotels, offices and high-end residences. Its proximity to the city's Central Business District, popular night spots and cultural attractions further cement Orchard Road's reputation as Singapore's prime location. 

Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest-growing hotel brands in its category, opening on average two hotels a week globally. Guests can expect a fresh, internationally-branded hotel choice that offers comfort, convenience and great value.    

The first Holiday Inn Express in Singapore will feature the brand identity, service standards and quality facilities of the new Holiday Inn experience. The Holiday Inn family of brands is undergoing the biggest relaunch in the hospitality industry across more than 3,300 hotels and 430,000 rooms worldwide, designed to drive consistency and quality throughout the entire estate.

"I can't think of a better location to launch the Holiday Inn Express brand. The recent revamp of Orchard Road has strengthened its appeal to both visitors and locals. Opening the first Holiday Inn Express in Singapore here will present a compelling option for our guests, offering them the convenience and atmosphere of a hotel in the heart of the city - at an excellent price point," said Jan Smits, Managing Director, IHG Asia Australasia.

This milestone project is a partnership between IHG and Valeside Pte Ltd, a member of the Chee Swee Cheng Group of Companies.

"We are confident of this partnership with IHG. We believe that the combination of a great location and an internationally-recognised brand will bode well for the first Holiday Inn Express hotel in Singapore," said Chee Eng Hoon, Executive Director of Valeside Pte Ltd.

A second agreement with the Chee Swee Cheng Group is also being signed for a Holiday Inn Express in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Three other Holiday Inn Express hotels are being developed in Bangkok and are scheduled to open over the next few years.

Media Contact:

Jean Tan
IHG
Tel: +65 6395 6109
[email protected]

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, over 4,500 hotels and more than 650,000 guest rooms in 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 52 million members worldwide. IHG has over 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 160,000 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/ 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

About Holiday Inn Relaunch

Holiday Inn is in the midst of the biggest relaunch in hospitality history. This relaunch aims to create a more contemporary brand image and drive consistency in over 3,300 Holiday Inn brand family hotels around the world, including Holiday Inn Express.  With 2,500 hotels already relaunched worldwide, the completion of the relaunch of the global estate is expected to be completed in 2010. All relaunched hotels feature:

        -     Upgraded and decluttered lobby areas

        -     A Holiday Inn scent and sound

        -     New bedding

        -     Upgraded showers and bathroom amenities

        -     New exterior lighting and landscaping

        -     New signage with the redesigned logo

All Holiday Inn employees also go through an extensive Stay Real training programme to ensure guests receive the level of service they expect.

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are in 100 countries worldwide and welcome over 100 million guests every year. To experience the changes happening at Holiday Inn hotels around the world, please visit www.holidayinn.com