One of the world’s best known brand names – Holiday Inn – is undergoing a US$1 billion worldwide re-launch to give it a more contemporary look and feel. All hotels currently open or under development are expected to have implemented the re-launch programme by the end of 2010, with the first new-look ‘show-case’ hotels expected in major markets from next spring. All hotels currently open or under development are expected to have implemented the changes by the end of 2010, with the first new-look ‘show-case’ hotels expected in major markets from spring 2008. The re-launch incorporates a new service promise and a redesigned “welcome experience”, as well as refreshed guestrooms. The new brand signage will be installed at hotels once they have successfully implemented the re-launch programme. As part of this process all Express by Holiday Inn hotels across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific will become Holiday Inn Express properties in line with those in the Americas. Established in 1952, Holiday Inn is one of the world’s most recognised hotel brands with more than 400,000 rooms (3,125 hotels), and a further 110,000 rooms (942 hotels) in the pipeline. Express by Holiday Inn, voted ‘Best budget’ hotel chain seven times since 2000 in the Business Traveller Awards.
Affordable luxury
A new hotel group, promising “affordable luxury for the people” is due to open its first hotel early next year.
Called CitizenM, the group has chosen Amsterdam Schiphol airport for its first project and plans to open a second hotel, near to Amsterdam's World Trade Centre, shortly afterwards. The Amsterdam-based chain has set its sights on other major cities in Europe, including London, Barcelona, Glasgow, Berlin, Stockholm, Brussels, Milan and Copenhagen. Short for ‘citizen mobile’, CitizenM claims that it will encompass what today’s travellers want from a hotel - stylish design, value, free entertainment, a comfortable bed and pillow, and the latest technology - but not “marble fountains or out-dated services”. The Schiphol hotel will offer 230 rooms, each one 14 square metres, from €69 (£47) per night. Internet access and movies on-demand are free of charge, as are calls to international landlines. Rooms can be customised when booking online, at self check-in kiosks, or on the touch screen ‘mood pad’ in the room. Guests can choose their own lighting, temperature and time of wake-up call. CitizenM says its rates are kept low because rooms are pre-made in its own special factory off-site.
“This factory ensures that citizenM’s rooms are of a comparable quality to that of a luxury yacht or private jet,” said a spokesman. News in brief Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement to manage the Shangri-La Hotel, Mumbai, opening at the end of 2009. The luxury chains currently has one other hotel in India, the Shangri-La Hotel, New Delhi, but also has two Shangri-La properties and a Traders Hotel under development, due to open in Bangalore in 2009. Hilton’s mid-priced Hilton Garden Inn will debut in Poland at the end of 2008. The Hilton Garden Inn Rzeszów in South Eastern Poland will form part of the Millennium Hall retail, entertainment and business complex. The newly built 102-room hotel will have a fitness area, restaurant and bar, conference and meeting facilities and limited complimentary parking.
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