March 26, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today that the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Orlando-Ocoee East has opened. The hotel is the third Holiday Inn Express to open in the Orlando area this year and marks the fourth property in the market to showcase the brand’s new sign.
The new signs outside all four hotels mark the seal of approval that they exemplify the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the program was established to create 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. The global estate of more than 3,200 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010.
“Orlando is a crucial market for us as we continue the journey of the Holiday Inn brand relaunch program,” said John Merkin, senior vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brands, The Americas. “It’s a popular destination for both domestic and international travelers, which provides us with the opportunity to promote the exciting changes happening at Holiday Inn to guests from around the world.”
Elements of the relaunch for Holiday Inn Express include:
Redesigned Brand Signage
An evolution of the iconic script logo, energizing the signature color green and eliminating the current shield shape for a more refreshed and contemporary look.
Warm Welcome
A new signature arrival – including new lighting, landscaping and design features – that creates an energized and branded sense of welcome that is universally recognizable. Customized music and scent selections also engage guests in a complete sensory experience, and a decluttered front desk to promote a more efficient and interactive check-in process.
New Service Promise
A best-in-class service culture – “Stay Real” – to further ensure the team develops the behaviors and skills to best serve guests so they feel like individuals and not numbers. Genuine people delivering real service. Leading the charge will be a newly created position at each hotel – the Guest Experience Champion.
As one of the most well-traveled business and leisure markets in the U.S., Orlando welcomes approximately 49 million visitors each year. Guests can now experience a refreshed Holiday Inn Express at four of the brand’s 12 locations in Orlando, including:
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Orlando-Ocoee East– Just minutes from leisure attractions including Universal Studios, Cypress Gardens and the Wet ‘n Wild water park, the 104-room new-build hotel opened March 17.
- Holiday Inn Express Orlando South-Davenport– This new-build 95-room hotel opened its doors in mid-February and is within driving distance to all major attractions, including the Fantasy of Flight Museum, known as the “World’s Greatest Aviation Attraction.”
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Orlando-International Drive– Just one mile from Universal Studios and two miles from the Orange County Convention Center, this new-build 156-room property opened in January.
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Nearest Universal Orlando– Originally opened in 2007, this property completed the relaunch process and earned a new sign in February of this year. The closest Holiday Inn Express to Universal Studios and near all other major attractions, the hotel has been designated a Green Lodging Property by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Guests at all Holiday Inn Express properties will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure. The brand’s newly enhanced complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar features a full selection of breakfast items including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurts, fruit and the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast® coffee. The SimplySmartTM shower incorporates a proprietary Stay SmartTM 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 also enjoy the SimplySmartTM bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.
Standard Holiday Inn Express hotel guest rooms feature 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. Business travelers will find large desks, ergonomic chairs, free high-speed wireless internet access, free local and toll free phone calls and phones with private voicemail.
Holiday Inn Express hotels participate in IHG’s guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry’s first and largest guest loyalty program has 42 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on www.priorityclub.com, calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG’s more than 4,150 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 1,800 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:
Caroline Sanfilippo, Holiday Inn Express, 770.604.2495, caroline.sanfilippo (at) ihg (dot) com
Sarah-Ann Soffer, Holiday Inn Express, 770.604.2707, sarahann.soffer (at) ihg (dot) com
Notes to Editors:
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, more than 4,150 hotels and almost 620,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized 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 program, Priority Club® Rewards with 42 million members worldwide.
IHG has more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 200,000 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 www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media
