Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts Tests New Concepts to Empower Business Travellers

IHG’s Crowne Plaza brand explores new products and services to help its business guests stay at the top of their game

Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) has announced that it is testing a series of new, market-specific services and features in selected hotels globally, set to empower ambitious, career-focused traveller and put them at the centre and in control of their travel experience.

Following extensive global research to understand the needs of today’s modern day business traveller, Crowne Plaza has learned that in order to be productive and feel successful when away from the office, its guest is looking for a hotel that makes it easy to get their work done 24/7 with as little friction as possible.

Janis Cannon, Global Vice President, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, IHG explains:  “We interviewed more than 6,000 business travellers in nine countries and they told us they want a hotel brand that values them, values their time and makes it easy for them to get their job done. Building on our existing brand hallmarks of Sleep Advantage® and Meetings, we are exploring and testing additional services and features that help our guests refuel, re-energize and be more productive when staying at our hotels. We know our guests are busy professionals and we want to do anything we can to give them that performance edge that helps them be on top of their work and at the top of their game.”

Five guest experience enhancements are currently being tested and piloted in select Crowne Plaza hotels around the world, beginning with hotels in the U.S. and Europe. The enhancements will be evaluated against how well they perform on driving positive impact on overall guest satisfaction, hotel operations and financial performance.  The most successful enhancements will be rolled out into other hotels and markets from 2014.

·         Anywhere Check In:  IHG’s Anywhere Check-in offers IHG® Rewards Club members the option to check in using their mobile phone, improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary downtime for the time-pressed traveller. This is currently being tested in U.S. hotels.

·         Completely Connected: An in-room solution to business travellers’ connection needs, ensuring lack of connectivity is never a barrier to productivity. Guest room technology including single sign-on free and reliable Wi-Fi*, one-click secure wireless printing and easy access to power outlets and charging cords – puts guests back in the driver’s seat with greater control.

·         Energy Essentials:  The introduction of quick and easy access to healthy snacks and revitalising services for guests to stay focused and energized during their business trip, such as ‘Run Stations’ providing local running routes, towels and water.

·         Breakfast To Go: A selection of quick hot or cold breakfast food and drink options are available in easy “grab and go” packaging to kick-start the day. Breakfast options can be eaten in the guest room or on the go.

·         Fast and Fresh Menu Options: Freshly prepared menu items that are ready whenever the guest is, with a promise to deliver quickly to help guests maximise their time when traveling.

Cannon explains: “We have spent time listening to our guests and studying consumer trends. Having a superior understanding of the guest provides us with outstanding competitive advantage as we look to become the preferred and trusted partner for the new school business traveller.”

Mark Carrier, Chairman of IHG Owners Association Crowne Plaza Committee added: “The world of business travel is constantly evolving, along with the needs of those at the heart of our business – our guests. The introduction of these new concepts in our hotels means we can test, learn and turn the ideas into reality for enduring profitable growth. Vitally, we can show our guests we understand their needs and offer them the tailored service they expect in today’s world, helping them feel energised, productive and successful during their stay.”

IHG’s Crowne Plaza brand is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world with nearly 400 hotels and over 100,000 rooms worldwide. With nearly 100 hotels in the pipeline, 50 percent of the brand’s development pipeline will open in Greater China in the next three to five years, doubling the portfolio in that region.  Found in 65 countries worldwide, the Crowne Plaza brand is considered a trusted name for business travellers worldwide.

IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies, with a rich heritage and broad portfolio of nine brands across over 4,600 hotels, in nearly 100 countries and territories.  The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion - from an award-winning InterContinental® Resort to a city-centre Crowne Plaza hotel.

 

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Notes to Editors

About Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts

Part of the IHG global portfolio, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts is a dynamic upscale hotel brand located in nearly 65 countries around the world in major urban centres, gateway cities and resort destination. As the fourth largest upscale full-service hotel brand in the world and one of the fastest growing, the Crowne Plaza brand has a solid foundation for further growth. The portfolio has doubled since 20013 to nearly 400 hotels, and the global pipeline has increased fourfold to nearly 100 hotels. Crowne Plaza® properties offer comprehensive meetings and event facilities, the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage®, 24 hour business services and fully-equipped fitness centres, ensuring guests can work productively, connect with colleagues, and re-energize in order to perform at the top of their game.

The brand’s signature meetings programme currently includes: Two-hour Response Guarantee, Crowne Plaza Meetings Director, Daily Meeting Debrief and IHG® Rewards Club Meeting Rewards**. Guests can learn more about Crowne Plaza meetings services by visiting www.ihg.com/crowneplaza.

 

*Crowne Plaza Hotels in Europe are not currently piloting free single-sign on Wi-Fi, but are offering free internet to IHG Rewards Elite Members now and extending to all members from 2014

 

**Programme is only available at IHG hotels in the US, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America, Greater China, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Southwest Asia.  Redemption varies by country.

 

About InterContinental Hotels Group

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo® Hotels, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express® Hotels, Staybridge Suites® Hotels, Candlewood Suites® Hotels, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 74 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet for Elites across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and 678,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate 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.

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