Holiday Inn Express Opens in Gurugram; 10 More to be Added in India Portfolio by Dec18'

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS Group (IHG), launched its first Holiday Inn Express in Gurugram Sector 50 as a part of IHG’s partnership with SAMHI for a portfolio of 14 Holiday Inn Express hotels in India. Before the end of the calendar year 2018, SAMHI and IHG aim to bring 10 more Holiday Inn Express into various business locations. SAMHI has invested over INR 100 Cr to renovate these 10 hotels. As informed by Ashish Jakhanwala, MD & CEO, SAMHI, rest Holiday Inn Express  hotels will be launched by the mid of 2019.

IHG and SAMHI entered a partnership in 2017 to rebrand 14 hotels (approximately 2000 rooms, operating and under construction) to Holiday Inn Express hotels. Creating a pan India presence, the hotels will be located across key cities in India such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. The hotels under the portfolio are being renovated and upgraded with the latest design directives, to ensure the portfolio is fully representative of the Holiday Inn Express brand globally.

According to Kenneth Macpherson, CEO EMEAA, IHG, India is an exciting market for the group. As the domestic air traffic and domestic travel have increased, there is a great scope for midscale hotels. “Holiday Inn being our growth engine, our vision is to come up with 150 hotels over the next two to three years,” he said at the launch.

“Our job is to combine right location with the right brand, and that is what we have been doing for the past seven years. Apart from just looking at the market opportunity, we also look at the best ways to leverage that opportunity. Business travelers in our opinion, prefer efficiency over luxury. Holiday Inn Brand is undisputedly one of the most recognized brands globally and also in India,” commented Jakhanwala.

Holiday Inn Express Gurugram Sector 50 will open its doors to guests on September 15th, 2018. The hotel offers 205 intelligent, design-led, contemporary rooms, providing an inviting and efficient environment to the guests. For seamless connectivity, the hotel offers free high-speed Internet in all rooms. Guests staying at Holiday Inn Express Gurugram Sector 50 can enjoy breakfast (included in the rate) with offering quality, to kick-start their day. Featuring an enhanced ‘Great Room’, the hotel offers a dynamic space to socialize and entertain. Additionally, the hotel features a gymnasium and a laundry room for the added convenience of the guests.

Boasting of an excellent location, Holiday Inn Express Gurugram Sector 50 is strategically situated in a mixed-use complex populated with a shopping mall, restaurants, entertainment, and wellness facilities, making it a perfect destination for business travelers as well as leisure seekers. The hotel is 30 minutes from Indira Gandhi International Airport and the railway station and in close proximity to the Metro station, providing great accessibility and connectivity to the guests.

Commenting on the announcement, Vivek Bhalla, Regional Vice President, SWA, IHG said, “Holiday Inn Express is our fastest growing brand globally, and we see further opportunity in the South West Asia market to expand our footprint. Our design-led product of the room and public space is what differentiates this brand from the other mid-scale hotels.”

The launch also marked the unveiling of a new Holiday Inn Express brand campaign in India, centered around ‘More Than Ready’, a platform which aims to empower 25-35 years’ travelers, who as road warriors look for added advantages to accomplish their travel goals. The brand campaign was kicked-off by a performance by Kanan Gill, India’s well known stand-up comedy artist.