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IHG Announces Hotel Indigo® Expansion Into Mexico


WEBWIRE

Eleventh property opens in Mérida

ATLANTA . - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], one of the world’s largest hotel groups by number of rooms, announced today that the Hotel Indigo brand is expanding its North American distribution footprint into Mexico. The first property opened in a historic 100-year old hacienda in Mérida, marking the 11th hotel opening for the Hotel Indigo brand. A second hotel will open in Mexico City in 2009.

The 50-room Hotel Indigo Mérida Hacienda Misné is located just a short drive from the historical cathedral and museums of downtown Mérida. Also within driving distance are Celestun, home to the largest flock of flamingos in North America, and the Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

“As the capital city of the state of Yucatán and the cultural and financial center of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mérida is an ideal location for our first property in Mexico,” said Jim Anhut, senior vice president, brand management, Hotel Indigo. “The adaptive reuse of this 100-year-old hacienda emphasizes the flexibility of the branded boutique concept and wide range of possibilities this brand offers developers. We’re proud to launch Hotel Indigo in Mexico and believe this opening to be a fantastic way to end a banner year for our rapidly growing brand.”

Hotel Indigo Merida is the embodiment of the brand’s Interpret IndigoTM concept, which emphasizes creative design interpretation of the Hotel Indigo brand concept to suit a property’s local market. The hotel’s front desk and The Golden Bean restaurant are housed in a 100-year old hacienda restored to maintain the building’s original character, bringing a uniquely international flair to brand experience. All guestrooms at the Hotel Indigo are individual villas facing a central garden, with ceiling fans, artistic tile floors and artwork inspired by flowers native to the region. The hotel features 10 suites, including a King Executive Suite with two hammocks, a separate living area with two nature-inspired wooden and leather rocking chairs, and a working desk with ergonomic chair. King Suites located under a canopy of lush trees feature a separate in-room living area, private balcony and patio, and antique armoires purchased and restored specifically for the hotel.

The Hotel Indigo Mérida Hacienda Misné is owned by Gerardo José Millet Palomeque and managed by Clara Paulina Mendoza, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

“We are pleased with the way the Hotel Indigo brand allows us to reflect the local history and culture of the region into our hotel,” said Clara Paulina Mendoza, general manager. “We’re excited to introduce our guests to Hotel Indigo and we know they’ll enjoy this distinctive urban oasis that we’ve created.”

Boutique hotels, known for their intimate, luxurious environments in addition to personalized accommodations and services, have gained increasing popularity throughout North America. Hotel Indigo is known as the industry’s first branded boutique hotel, artfully combining the conveniences and consistencies of a brand hotel with the design cache and service personality of a boutique at an affordable price. The soul of the brand’s retail-inspired concept is renewal - thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh, similar to the way retailers change their window displays. The renewal concept provides even the most frequent guest a unique experience with every stay. The hotel features renewable elements such as vivid music, nature-inspired murals, area rugs, plush duvets and slip covers that will change periodically. Public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing artwork, music, flora and murals.

The new hotel features signature design elements including oversized lobby chairs, which create a personal work or dining space within the public areas of the hotel; cozy, airy and inviting guestrooms with plush bedding and glass spa-inspired showers; and a Phitness studio with cardio equipment and free weights. The hotel also offers The Golden Bean, an on-site casual gourmet restaurant, featuring Yucatán regional dishes; a 24-hour business center; wireless Internet access throughout the hotel; and meeting space for business functions or special events.

The Hotel Indigo brand is quickly expanding throughout North America, with 11 locations open and more than 60 under development, either in the pipeline or in final negotiation. The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004, followed by Hotel Indigo Chicago Gold Coast; Chicago Schaumburg North; Houston at the Galleria; Hotel Indigo Dallas; Ottawa Downtown City Centre, Canada; Hotel Indigo Scottsdale, Ariz.; Hotel Indigo Sarasota, Fla; Hotel Indigo Buffalo-Amherst, N.Y.; Hotel Indigo Nashville West End; and Hotel Indigo Mérida Hacienda Misné, Mexico. Future sites of Hotel Indigo hotels include Baltimore, Md.; Boston, Mass.; San Antonio, Texas; Las Vegas, Nev.; New York, N.Y.; St. Louis, Mo.; and Knoxville, Tenn. For more information on Hotel Indigo, or to make reservations, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

About Hotel Indigo

The newest member of the IHG family, Hotel Indigo is the industry’s first branded boutique hotel experience. It is uniquely designed to appeal to guests who desire affordable luxury, personal service and an alternative to traditional hotels without sacrificing any of the businesses amenities they have come to expect. Renewal is the soul of Hotel Indigo’s retail-inspired design concept - thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh. Guestrooms feature signature murals, area rugs, fluffy duvets and slipcovers that will change periodically, while public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing aromas, music, artwork, murals and directional signage. From relaxed café dining to high-style rooms - Hotel Indigo creates an intriguing, warm and inviting environment for guests. For more information on Hotel Indigo, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

Hotel Indigo participates in Priority Club Rewards. With more than 37 million members, Priority Club® Rewards is the first, largest and fastest-growing guest loyalty program in the hotel industry. Winner of the 19th Annual Freddie Awards hotel loyalty “Program of the Year” and named “Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World” three years running by Global Traveler magazine, Priority Club Rewards offers more sought-after benefits and the greatest ease of use of any hotel loyalty program. In addition to flexible features like No Points Expiration and No Blackout Dates, members have more options for points redemption than any other hotel loyalty program, including redemption at more than 500,000 lodging establishments worldwide - even at rivals’ hotels - through the industry-leading “Any Hotel, Anywhere” reward, as well as the option to redeem points for airline miles on more than 40 partner airlines, for auto rentals, for gift certificates and for hundreds of products available in the Rewards Catalog. If the Rewards Catalog doesn’t have what a member is looking for, Priority Club Rewards is the only hotel loyalty program to offer members a Personal Shopper program that allows point redemptions for items not found in the Rewards Catalog.

Enrollment in Priority Club Rewards is free. Guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG’s more than 3,800 hotels worldwide.

Contacts:

Natasha Gullett, Hotel Indigo, Natasha.Gullett@ihg.com, (770) 604-5597

Caroline Sanfilippo, Hotel Indigo, Caroline.Sanfilippo@ihg.com, (770) 604-2495

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world’s largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,800 hotels and more than 571,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.

The company pioneered the travel industry’s first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG’s global corporate responsibility focus.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at http://www.ihg.com/ and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at http://www.priorityclub.com/.

For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media



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