At its 2015 Americas Owners Conference in San Francisco this week, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), introduced new guestroom and F&B experiences for the Holiday Inn brand, announced the Staybridge Suites brand’s Urban Guest Room Design for future hotel developments in urban markets, as well as new in-room coffee experiences for its Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands.
Holiday Inn features
Developed for new-build and renovated hotels in the U.S. and Canada, the updated Holiday Inn design solution is called H4. The name represents Happiness, Hospitality, Home and Holiday Inn – reflecting the Holiday Inn brand’s promise to “champion the joy of travel for everyone.”
New in-room elements include a Welcome Nook that serves as a drop zone for guests to hang their coat, drop their keys or bag and plug in their devices; a new room type that features a king bed with a trundle-type bed which doubles as a sofa during the day; and a moveable desk and more than five dedicated points of power throughout the room. The first hotels featuring the H4 design solution are expected to open during the first half of 2016.
The new Holiday Inn F&B service platform, which was piloted at more than 70 hotels over a six month period, is customizable based on hotel market and addresses every meal occasion. The program simplifies restaurant and bar execution and management for operators and includes a training program. IHG also launched a new profitable menu of proven guest favorites, a set of merchandising and financial tools, and dedicated ongoing program support. The platform will roll-out to all Holiday Inn hotels in the U.S. and Canada during the first half of 2016.
Staybridge Suites footprint
The extended-stay Staybridge Suites brand’s Urban Guest Room Design addresses owners’ need to maximize land use more efficiently in urban locations where the hotel footprint is generally smaller.
Developed for both studios and one-bedroom suites to maximize the space, all of the elements have multiple uses. In both room types, there is a separate work and dining area. The desk is mobile and the standard desk hutch has been removed and replaced with a built-in cubby and shelves mounted to the wall.
Coffee craze
IHG also announced a new relationship between its Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands and Keurig Green Mountain to introduce a new in-room coffee experience in 2016 featuring new coffee products.
“This new standard is expected to enhance our guests’ experience through the delivery of a great cup of coffee, and will drive operational efficiencies and brand perception, which are both important to our owners,” said Heather Balsley, senior vice president, Americas Brand Management.