If bigger is better, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is clearly getting bigger and better. In the first quarter of this year the company signed more new hotels than in any quarter in the past seven years. IHG also completed the acquisition of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants—one of the most notable boutique hoteliers in the United States—and announced strategies to expand new brands, strengthen appeal across market niches and invest in technology.
Hotel Indigo Bangkok lobby © Intercontinental Hotels Group
There’s a lot happening across IHG’s global portfolio. “Our strong first‑quarter openings and signings performance demonstrates the continued momentum we’re seeing in our business and reflects owner confidence in both our new and established brands,” says Richard Solomons, the company’s chief executive officer. “We signed more than one hotel per day in Q1, with 95 percent of these deals in our priority markets.”
Holiday Inn remains IHG’s growth leader, now operating in 75 countries, but other brands are gaining traction as well. The $430 million Kimpton acquisition expands IHG’s presence in the U.S. boutique segment, and further expansion is already underway. “We’re continuing to grow our industry‑leading boutique brands,” Solomons notes. “Hotel Indigo opened in two new markets, and we are leveraging our scale to grow our recently acquired Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants brand, opening three hotels and signing a further four.”
HUALUXE Nanchang High-Tech Zone © Intercontinental Hotels Group
Acquisitions will play a role in IHG’s boutique strategy, but the company is also developing new brands to target specific segments. HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, created to serve Chinese travelers, opened its first property this year in China. EVEN Hotels, aimed at wellness‑minded business travelers in the United States, continues to expand. “Our HUALUXE brand taps into the immense opportunity presented by the growth in Chinese travel, taking the best aspects of renowned Chinese hospitality and applying IHG’s international scale,” says Solomons. “EVEN Hotels meets the large and growing demand for a hotel brand that helps wellness‑minded travelers maintain their balance on the road.”
Technology is another major pillar of IHG’s strategy to improve guest experience across its brands. A key initiative is the partnership with Amadeus to build a next‑generation, cloud‑based Guest Reservation System. “Our strategy is underpinned by investment in technology platforms to ensure we maintain an industry‑leading position in a rapidly changing landscape,” Solomons explains. “We start by understanding our guests and their needs, then identify where technology can add real value across the guest journey through both on‑property and mobile solutions.”
The Hotel Wilshire, A Kimpton Hotel © Intercontinental Hotels Group
Guests will be able to do more with their smartphones than ever before. “In 2014 we standardized on‑property hardware across our U.S. estate, paving the way for mobile check‑in and check‑out,” Solomons says. “By February this service was live in over 500 hotels, and rollout is ongoing. We continue to prioritize the strategic use of on‑property and mobile technology to enhance the ‘stay’ phase of the guest journey.”
Candlewood Suites
Demographic: Midscale extended‑stay travelers
Offerings: Candlewood Suites delivers affordable, home‑like extended‑stay accommodations with studio and one‑bedroom suites that include full kitchens, workspaces, recliners, free WiFi and free local calls. Properties feature 24‑hour fitness centers, guest laundries and the Candlewood Cupboard snack and refreshment bar. The brand’s portfolio includes 326 hotels, with 89 more in the pipeline.
Highlight: Candlewood Suites Oak Grove at Fort Campbell, Ky., offers a fitness center, full kitchen in every suite, free guest laundry and a complimentary movie library.
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts
Demographic: Upscale business travelers and the meetings segment
Offerings: Crowne Plaza is a full‑service brand focused on business and meetings, currently operating 404 hotels with 92 more planned. Recent guestrooms feature angled beds and redesigned workspaces. The Crowne Plaza meetings program guarantees a two‑hour response time for meeting space proposals.
Highlight: Crowne Plaza – Panama Airport, a $20 million property near Tocumen International Airport, offers airport shuttle service, meeting spaces, an outdoor pool and 24‑hour fitness and business centers.
EVEN Hotels
Demographic: Health‑conscious business and leisure travelers
Offerings: Launched in 2012, EVEN Hotels supports travelers who want to stay healthy on the road. Guestrooms include dedicated space to exercise and in‑room workout options; hotels provide healthy dining choices, filtered drinking water, fitness centers and group exercise activities. The brand currently has two open hotels and three in development.
Highlight: EVEN Hotel Rockville, with 167 rooms, offers flexible workspaces, natural outdoor areas, free WiFi and convenient access to Washington, D.C., and to many Maryland employers.
Holiday Inn Express
Demographic: Business and leisure travelers
Offerings: Focused on comfort, convenience and value, Holiday Inn Express is among IHG’s fastest‑growing brands. The portfolio includes 2,376 hotels with 541 under development. Typical amenities include free WiFi and the Express Start breakfast bar.
Highlight: Holiday Inn Express Cartagena Bocagrande is a new 200‑room hotel in Cartagena’s modern district, close to shops, restaurants and nightlife and a short ride from the historic center.
Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts
Demographic: Business and leisure travelers, including families
Offerings: Founded in 1952, Holiday Inn is a well‑known midscale brand with 1,154 hotels and 248 in the pipeline. Properties typically offer restaurants, room service, pools and fitness centers for dependable, family‑friendly stays.
Highlight: Holiday Inn Frankfurt – Ale Oper, opened this year in Frankfurt’s financial district, features a contemporary open lobby, a restaurant, free WiFi and an on‑site Starbucks, and is about 15 minutes by taxi from the airport.
Hotel Indigo
Demographic: Travelers who want boutique personality with brand consistency
Offerings: Positioned as a global branded boutique concept, Hotel Indigo operates 63 hotels with another 63 in development. Each property reflects local design influences with hard‑surface flooring, area rugs, spa‑inspired showers, 24‑hour fitness and business centers, and a pet‑friendly policy.
Highlight: Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road marked the brand’s Asia debut this year. The 192‑room property features vertical gardens, street‑art‑inspired murals and a wall of vintage radios that nod to the neighborhood’s broadcasting history.
HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts
Demographic: Affluent Chinese business and leisure travelers
Offerings: HUALUXE is the first global hotel brand designed specifically for Chinese guests, developed by a China‑based management team around four guest priorities: tradition, rejuvenation, status recognition and enabling spaces. The brand has one open hotel in China and 23 planned.
Highlight: HUALUXE Yangjiang City Centre, opened in February, offers 282 guestrooms including 76 club and deluxe suites, multiple restaurants and one of the largest pillarless ballrooms in the city.
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Demographic: Upscale business and leisure travelers
Offerings: IHG’s flagship luxury brand operates in key cities and resort destinations across more than 60 countries, with 179 hotels and 51 planned. Properties offer elegant décor, multiple dining options, fitness centers, spas and full luxury amenities.
Highlight: InterContinental Sydney occupies a prime location with a rooftop Club InterContinental overlooking Sydney Harbour. Upcoming projects include a 900‑room InterContinental in downtown Los Angeles, which will be the largest InterContinental hotel in the Americas when it opens as part of a major mixed‑use development.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Demographic: Independent, individualistic travelers in the United States
Offerings: At acquisition in January, Kimpton had 62 hotels and 16 in development. The brand is known for distinctive touches such as yoga mats in guestrooms, evening Wine Hours and complimentary guest bicycles. Kimpton restaurants emphasize locally inspired dining experiences.
Highlight: Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh, a 248‑room Kimpton property housed in a restored 1903 building across from Mellon Square Park, features design elements like golden birdcage chandeliers and an open‑air rooftop Biergarten.
Staybridge Suites
Demographic: Upscale extended‑stay travelers
Offerings: Staybridge Suites offers residential‑style accommodations with three suite types, all featuring full kitchens, free WiFi and separate living and sleeping areas. Guests enjoy evening receptions, hot breakfast buffets and access to business centers, fitness rooms and laundry facilities. The brand has 210 hotels with 101 more planned.
Highlight: Recent openings include Staybridge Suites London‑Vauxhall (93 rooms) in England and Staybridge Suites Chihuahua (100 rooms) in Mexico.