IHG Expands the Holiday Inn® Brand Family in Brazil

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], one of the world’s largest hotel companies, makes its return to the Rio de Janeiro market with the signing of the new-build Holiday Inn® Porto Maravilha and Holiday Inn Express® Porto Maravilha hotels. The 32-story hotels will be located in Rio de Janeiro’s revitalized downtown area of Porto Maravilha. The hotels, owned by Odebrecht Realizaçöes Imobiliárias and FII PM Caixa Fundo de Investimento Imobiliário Porto Maravilha, will be managed by IHG.

“We see great potential for our brands in Brazil,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG. “The redevelopment plan in Porto Maravilha aims to restore the city’s heritage while enhancing the city through new structures and economic opportunity. We are delighted to serve as a part of the city’s revitalization and for the opportunity to reenter the booming Rio de Janeiro market during a time of such promising evolution.”

The 244-room Holiday Inn® Porto Maravilha and 350-room Holiday Inn Express® Porto Maravilha will be situated in the heart of Porto Maravilha. Museums, parks and new restaurants are opening nearby as the area undergoes its restoration plan before the 2016 Summer Olympics is hosted in Rio de Janeiro. Both hotels are expected to open by July 2016 for the Olympic games.

“We have a long and successful history in Brazil, and the addition of Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels in Rio de Janeiro is in line with IHG’s strategy to expand our portfolio in all key markets across the region, specifically in Brazil,” said Alvaro Diago, chief operating officer, Latin America and the Caribbean, IHG. “Porto Maravilha is a key strategic city that will continue to grow in importance for both business and leisure travelers.”

The new hotels will be designed in line with the Holiday Inn Brand Family’s $1 billion global brand relaunch, the largest project of its kind in hospitality history. The relaunch continues to drive increased quality and consistency across the global portfolio and comprises emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage. Both hotels will share the same tower and operational area, allowing the operational synergies and economies of scale to manage these properties.

Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brand hotels feature an atmosphere that is warm, trend forward and comfortable. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” The residential design will include business-focused necessities such as an ergonomic workstation and data ports. The bathrooms include a multifunctional showerhead, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved shower rod, and bath amenities. Additionally, each room will feature standard Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brand guestroom accommodations – comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, hairdryer, micro fridge, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.

The Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands are part of IHG, which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary as a global standalone hotel company this year. IHG’s broad family of nine brands in nearly 100 countries and territories, meets the needs of guests, whatever the occasion – whether an overnight getaway, a business trip, a family celebration or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands participate in IHG’s hotel rewards program, IHG® Rewards Club. The industry’s first and largest hotel rewards program with 76 million members is free, and guests can enroll at ihgrewardsclub.com, or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG’s more than 4,600 hotels worldwide.

About Holiday Inn hotels
With over 1,200 hotels worldwide, the Holiday Inn® brand is the most widely recognized lodging brand in the world. In fact, the Holiday Inn brand was one of the first international hotel brands to establish a presence in China in 1984. The Holiday Inn brand provides the services that business travelers need, while also offering a comfortable atmosphere where all people can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centers and comfortable lounges. The casual atmosphere and amenities such as meeting and on-site business facilities, Kids Eat and Stay Free programs, and KidSuites rooms at every Holiday Inn Resort hotel demonstrates the long-standing commitment of the Holiday Inn brand to serving travelers and have helped to establish the brand as “America’s Favorite Hotel.”  For more information about Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Resort, including IHG’s vacation resort brand Holiday Inn Club Vacations, or to book reservations, visit www.ihg.com/holidayinn. Find us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/holidayinn or Facebook www.Facebook.com/holidayinnhotels.

About Holiday Inn Express hotels
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 2,200 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe.  For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, visit www.hiexpress.com. Find us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/hiexpress or Facebook www.Facebook.com/holidayinnexpress.