16 July 2014
Brisbane to Welcome First Holiday Inn Express
Sydney, Australia, 16 July 2014: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and international investment group, Pro-Invest have signed a franchise agreement for a 226-room Holiday Inn Express hotel in Brisbane’s Spring Hill. The hotel will be the first Holiday Inn Express property in the city and marks the company's return to Brisbane.
The new Holiday Inn Express hotel will be located near the "Golden Triangle" of Brisbane’s CBD, with easy access to the city’s business, retail, entertainment and leisure hubs. Surrounded by a number of restaurants and bars, the high-rise Brisbane hotel will have two meeting rooms, on-site parking spaces and a generous breakfast area, called The Great Room, where guests can enjoy their free breakfast before heading out for the day's activities.
The hotel is easily accessible from Brisbane airport and will cater to mid-week corporate visitors as well as value-conscious leisure travellers on weekends and school holidays. This is the second site in the portfolio of 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels Pro Invest is developing under a $150 million fund. The first hotel will open at Macquarie Park in North Ryde, Sydney next year.
Matthew Tripolone, Head of Development, Australasia, IHG, said, “The development of the new Holiday Inn Express in Brisbane is a significant milestone for IHG as it marks our return to the city with the entry of our largest and one of our fastest growing brands into the market. As the third most populous city in Australia, Brisbane has immense growth potential as it sees steady increase in the number of domestic and international travellers. This hotel will cater to the growing demand for hotel accommodation in the Spring Hill district, offering a great guest experience to smart, savvy travellers regardless of whether they are visiting for business or leisure.”
Ronald Barrott, Chief Executive Officer of Pro-Invest Group said, “We have had a good experience working with IHG on developing Holiday Inn Express hotels in other parts of the world and see a lot of potential for the brand in Australia. With the construction of our Macquarie Park property commencing in the coming weeks and this second property now signed, we are on track to developing the 15 hotels under our partnership as we actively scour the country for strategic locations to expand the presence of Holiday Inn Express."
Providing everything guests need and nothing they don’t, Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Spring Hill will offer guests a smart and convenient stay which includes:
Free and fast Wi-Fi available in guest rooms and throughout the hotel so they stay connected all day, every day
Free Express Start™ Breakfast or a Grab & Go option for a smart start to the day
A comfortable and restful sleep with high quality bedding and a choice of firm or soft pillows
Self-service business centre and laundry room for your everyday needs
Access to the fitness centre to indulge in your fitness regime any time
Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Spring Hill is the third Holiday Inn Express to be signed in Australia. The first hotel is due to open next year at Macquarie Park, Sydney.
IHG currently has 27 hotels operating under three brands in Australia: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. The Holiday Inn Express brand was first launched globally more than 20 years ago and has since grown to more than 2,300 hotels worldwide – the brand with the largest number of hotels within the IHG estate. A further 490 Holiday Inn Express hotels are due to open in the next three to five years.
Notes to Editors:
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®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts.
IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 79 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,700 hotels and 688,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories, with more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
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