LONDON, U.K. — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has revealed plans to launch a new mid-scale brand at its 2017 Americas Conference this week in Las Vegas.
The new brand is designed to target the underserved U.S. mid-scale market; offering travellers “the basics done exceptionally well” at a price point approximately $10 to $15 less than IHG’s Holiday Inn Express brand.
“This new brand builds on IHG’s leading position in the mid-scale segment alongside Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express,” says Richard Solomons, CEO, IHG. “It addresses the needs of a rapidly growing and underserved segment and we believe it will shape the future of this unique mid-scale category.”
Brand features will include high-quality mattress and linens, design that helps reduce noise and intuitive in-room climate control. Guestrooms will be a mix of 220-sq.-ft. king rooms (65 per cent) and 275-sq.-ft. rooms with two queen-sized beds (35 per cent), all featuring a built-in work space, open closet storage with luggage shelf, shower and a smart TV.
The hotels will also leverage the latest technology, including a cloud-based reservation system, mobile check-in and check-out and IHG Connect enhanced Wi-Fi. Rooms will also feature enhanced in-room entertainment options, allowing guests to cast content from their smart devices to in-room TVs.
The name, logo and other brand elements will be announced later this year. IHG expects the brand to be franchise-ready in the fall of 2017 with the first hotels beginning construction in early 2018 and opening in 2019.
