Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles-LAX Airport is brand’s 135th hotel to open in the Americas region this year
ATLANTA, GA – September 1, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today that two Holiday Inn Express® hotels will be added to the Los Angeles market. The Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles-LAX Airport and Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Angeles Airport Hawthorne are both conveniently located near Los Angeles International Airport and will create more than 60 job opportunities to the local community.
“As one of the world’s most well-known entertainment hubs, Los Angeles is an ideal location for expansion of the Holiday Inn Express brand,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, the Americas, IHG. “Before their flights even touch down, travelers arriving at the Los Angeles airport will see the new hotel signs that represent the biggest relaunch in hospitality history, giving us a unique opportunity to showcase our new look.”
The Holiday Inn brand relaunch is the largest in the history of the hospitality industry, with more than 3,200 hotels around the world being updated – improving quality and driving consistency at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world. The global estate is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 1,000 hotels have been already been relaunched to date.
The relaunch focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests-a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night’s sleep. Relaunched hotels such as the two LAX properties feature:
- Upgraded and decluttered lobby areas
- A Holiday Inn Express signature scent and sound
- New exterior lighting and landscaping
- New signage with the redesigned logo
- All Holiday Inn employees also go through an extensive “Stay Real” training program to ensure guests receive the level of service they expect.
The 160-room Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles-LAX Airport located at 8620 Airport Boulevard opened on August 11 as the 135th Holiday Inn Express to open in the Americas region this year. A conversion of a Howard Johnson, the hotel has undergone a complete cosmetic and interior renovation including new carpets, new LCD TVs in all guestrooms and new bedding. Amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool, casino and more than 400 sq. ft. of comfortable meeting space.
The 120-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Angeles Airport Hawthorne located at 11436 Hawthorne Boulevard will open within a month. Amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool, parking, and more than 1,000 sq. ft. of functional meeting space.
Both hotels provide a complimentary shuttle to and from Los Angeles International Airport and are located near many Los Angeles attractions including Disneyland, Universal Studios, Los Angeles Convention Center, and LA Nokia Center, as well as local businesses and corporations such as FedEx, Mattel and Oracle.
Guests at both Holiday Inn Express hotels will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while travelling for business or leisure. The hotels’ newly enhanced complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar will feature 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 hotels feature special in-room amenities such as microwave and refrigerator, 32″ flat panel HDTVs, business center, wireless Internet access in all public areas and fitness center. 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 are part of IHG’s guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry’s first and largest guest loyalty program has 44 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on to 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 4,300 hotels worldwide.
The Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles-LAX Airport is owned by W&J Business Ventures LLC, and managed by Brighton Management, LLC, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Los Angeles Airport Hawthorne is owned and managed by Roman Power International, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
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 2,000 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 Contact:
Caroline Sanfilippo, Holiday Inn Express, +1(770)604 2495, caroline.sanfilippo (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, over 4,300 hotels and almost 630,000 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 44 million members worldwide.
IHG has nearly 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 140,000 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
