09 September 2011

Holiday Inn Expands its Resorts Portfolio with the Opening of Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach

The new-built property marks the 11th Holiday Inn Resort in Asia Australasia

PHUKET, THAILAND, 9 September 2011 - Holiday Inn, the world's most recognised hotel brand, expanded its presence in Asia Australasia with the opening of Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach in Thailand today.

The new 246-guestroom beachside resort is ideally located on the northwest coast of Phuket, by the Andaman Sea. The latest international hotel in Phuket caters to all types of travellers - from couples on a romantic getaway to families seeking the perfect holiday, or even professionals on a corporate retreat.

"The Holiday Inn portfolio is expanding rapidly in the region with a pipeline of 28 hotels in the next three years", said Jennifer Yuen, Brand Director for Holiday Inn, Asia Australasia. "The opening of Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach reaffirms our leadership in providing quality, great value accommodation in the mid-scale segment".

The new resort, with its relaxing environment inspired by nature, offers guests a contemporary design and modern facilities. This includes a beachfront infinity pool, a resort leisure centre and a fitness center fitted with the latest equipment. Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach also offers a wide range of holistic Thai and western massages and treatments at its Tea Tree Spa. Dining choices at the resort span a wide selection of local specialties and international cuisine in its three restaurants and bars. In-room features include crisp beddings with a choice of soft and firm pillows, a large walk-in rain shower, wired/wireless internet, a spacious balcony/terrace, and more.

All these features are in keeping with the $1 billion Holiday Inn relaunch, the biggest rebranding exercise in hospitality history. The new Holiday Inn experience features a contemporary arrival and welcome experience, refreshed guest rooms, power showers and a friendly and approachable service.

"This is our second Holiday Inn resort in Phuket; and our fourth in Thailand. Together with the other Holiday Inn hotels, we now have 11 properties in this country. We are excited to be strengthening the presence of the Holiday Inn brand in Thailand, particularly in Phuket, which has remained one of Southeast Asia's most popular travel destinations," said Alan Watts, Vice President for Operations, Southeast Asia at IHG.

Holiday Inn is the biggest brand in the IHG's portfolio of brands, with over 3,000 properties across the Holiday Inn brand family around the world. IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms.

"The Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach is a great showcase for the new generation of Holiday Inn's offerings and IHG's expansion in the region. Our growth in the Thailand market has been steady and we are committed to continue IHG's multi-brand expansion in this thriving country," Alan remarks.

Conveniently located, the resort is within 15 minutes drive from Phuket International airport, several major golf courses, and Splash Jungle, the island's only recreational water park. It is close to popular attractions like Phang Nga Bay, Sirinath National Park and Phuket Town Shopping Centre.

True to the Holiday Inn heritage, the resort has a range of family-friendly facilities and services. Its KidSuites® offers privacy for both parents and children, each with separate sleeping areas. The kids' section of the suite comes with a bunk bed and a play corner that includes a flat screen TV, a DVD player and a game console. For families with teenagers, the resort offers a Teen Zone with game consoles for youngsters to unwind and entertain themselves. There's also a Kids Club, with an array of entertaining activities where younger kids can have fun under the watch of professional care takers. The brand's signature Kids Stay and Eat Free feature makes family vacations truly enjoyable and affordable. This programme allows up to two children under 18 years old to stay free when sharing a room with up to two adults. Children under 12 enjoy complimentary breakfast; and free lunch and dinner from the children's menu when accompanied by an adult who takes at least one main course.

The resort's 246 rooms each feature the latest in hospitality technology such as LCD flat-screen TV connected to DVD players and I-pod docking stations. The property also offers free wireless Internet in the room and throughout the resort; while i-Pads are available for guests' use.

"Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach is a perfect getaway. Our hotel services and operations are specifically designed with conservation of natural resources in mind. We have an efficient water-recycling system and an intuitive energy-saving system. There are no motorised vehicles in the resort, which helps maintain clean air and quiet surroundings, and provides our guests with a truly relaxing environment," said Simon Morley, General Manager of the resort.

Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach is only an hour flight from Bangkok, Thailand's capital city. Its international airport has frequent direct flights from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Australia and charter flights from Europe, Russia, China, Korea, and the Middle East.

Holiday Inn is in 57 city and resort destinations across Asia Australasia. Its resorts portfolio includes Holiday Inn Resorts Goa in India; Holiday Inn Baruna Bali and Holiday Inn Resort Batam in Indonesia; Holiday Inn Resort Alpensia Pyeongchang in Korea; Holiday Inn Resort Penay in Malaysia; Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma in Maldives; Holiday Inn Resort Cha-am, Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island; Holiday Inn Resort Phuket and Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach in Thailand; and Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu.

For more information on Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach, or for reservations, visit www.holidayinnresorts.com/phuketmaikhao or call +66 76 603 699.

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Media contact:
Tina Di Cicco
PR and Communications
IHG Asia Australasia
Tel: +65 6395 6166
[email protected]

Notes to Editors:

About Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is the most widely recognised hotel brand in the world. Operating since 1952, Holiday Inn offers today's business and leisure travellers friendly service, dependability and modern attractive facilities at excellent value. The brand believes in ‘Championing the real you', for guests to truly feel comfortable at accommodation that are as close to home as possible.

Holiday Inn was voted the best Mid-Market Hotel Brand in the World and best Mid-Market Hotel Brand in Asia Pacific for the 11th consecutive year in 2011. The brand continues to expand through openings in new markets, with more than 300 hotels in its global pipeline. Currently, there are 1,241 Holiday Inn hotels around the world, with 104 in Asia Pacific.

For more information about Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Resorts, including IHG's new vacation resort brand Holiday Inn Club Vacations, or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit http://www.holidayinn.com/.

About IHG 
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global company operating seven well-known 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® . IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with almost 60 million members worldwide

IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms and IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, a portfolio of over 4,400 hotels and more than 656,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world

IHG has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline and expects to recruit around 160,000 people 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 our latest news visit www.ihg.com/media, Twitter www.twitter.com/ihgplc or YouTube www.youtube.com/ihgplc

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