19 December 2011

The Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont Opens Following Conversion

The New Hotel Offers Convenient Location to Local Universities and the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport

ATLANTA – IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)] announces the opening of the new Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmontafter a $1.4 million conversion from a Wingate by Wyndham hotel. The hotel underwent updates to the exterior, public areas and all guestrooms.

The 80-room Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont is located northeast of downtown Atlanta at 2920 Clairmont Road, is just four miles from the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and offers a shuttle service to the airport as well as other locations in the surrounding area.  The hotel also features 1,600 square-feet of meeting space with  seating for up to 100 people.

The new hotel includes features in keeping with the $1 billion Holiday Inn relaunch, the largest project of its kind in the history of the hospitality industry. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program creates 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, and a redesigned logo and signage.

"Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travelers," said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Management, The Americas, IHG.  "With more than 2,000 properties worldwide and hundreds more in the pipeline, the Holiday Inn Express portfolio continues to provide our guests with an enhanced-stay experience at a great value.  We welcome the new Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont into the Holiday Inn family."

The hotel, located directly off of the I-85 Clairmont exit, is within a half mile of the Century Center corporate complex and a short distance from several higher education institutions, including Emory University, Mercer University, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and Oglethorpe University. It is also close to the Georgia Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Revenue regional office, local offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the FBI.

Nearby attractions include the Atlanta History Center, Atlanta Botanical Gardens and the Governor’s Mansion.

“We are proud to be a part of the Emory University and Druid Hills community,” said Parmon Golshier, general manager, Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont. “We’re looking forward to sharing the recent renovations with our guests, including a bright modern color scheme in our distinctive two-story lobby and new carpeting and furniture in all public spaces.”

Guests 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 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 the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast® coffee. 

The SimplySmart™shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart™ Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products.  Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart™ bedding collection wherethey will find new crisp fresh bedding, which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

Guest rooms have been completely refreshed and offer new furniture, including comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast® 100% Arabica coffee.  All rooms include granite countertops and an urban design scheme with a mix of red, green and java-colored furnishings. Business travelers will find large desks with ergonomic chairs, free local and toll-free phone service with private voicemail and complimentary USA TODAY® newspapers.

The Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont features amenities such as free high-speed wireless Internet connections in guest rooms and the lobby as well as in the hotel’s 24-hour business center. It also has a fitness center and flexible meeting space.

The Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont is owned by BKNS and managed by Horizon Hospitality under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-HOLIDAY or by going to www.hiexpress.com.

Holiday Inn Express participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has 61 million members.  Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll 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 4,500 hotels worldwide.

About Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express hotels are modern hotels 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 and Canada only).  There are currently more than 2,000 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe.  For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit http://www.hiexpress.com/.

Media Contacts:
Sherry Telford, Holiday Inn Express, [email protected], +1(770) 604-2613
Sarah-Ann Soffer, Holiday Inn Express, [email protected], +1(770) 604-2707

Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization operating seven 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 program with over 61 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,500 hotels and more than 666,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories, and has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.

IHG is committed to gender balance throughout its business. We aspire to continue retaining a minimum of 25% female representation on the Board.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

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