Third Holiday Inn Express planned for Adelaide

InterContinental Hotels Group and international investment company Pro Invest Group have signed a franchise agreement for a 245-room Holiday Inn Express hotel in Adelaide’s Central Business District (CBD).

The hotel is the third to be signed under the master development agreement between IHG and Pro Invest, which will see the investment company develop 15 Holiday Inn Express hotels across Australia by 2025. The first two hotels will open in Sydney’s Macquarie Park, North Ryde in the first quarter of 2016, and Brisbane’s Spring Hill in the third quarter of 2016.

The new build hotel will be situated on the city’s thriving Hindley Street, in close proximity to North Terrace, the Adelaide Convention Centre and the upcoming Royal Adelaide Hospital. Leisure travellers can enjoy a short walk to the Adelaide Casino and local sporting hub Adelaide Oval, whilst the accessibility to major corporate offices within the CBD from the hotel will be a draw for business travellers.

Karin Sheppard, Chief Operating Officer, Australasia, Japan, Korea & Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) Franchising, IHG said: “The development of the new Holiday Inn Express Adelaide is the latest in a series of milestones for IHG and our partners Pro Invest. The site is exactly the right location for the Holiday Inn Express guest and hits our strategy of bringing the brand to key Australian cities. We know the domestic market will respond extremely well to this fresh and exciting brand and having a Holiday Inn Express in the CBD will be key as the increase in air connectivity between Adelaide and other key Asian cities continues. The hotel will open in 2018 following the launch of the brand in Sydney due to take place early next year.”

Ronald Barrott, Chief Executive Officer, Pro Invest Group said, “Together with IHG we are progressing very well in securing strategic, in-demand locations to develop Holiday Inn Express hotels. Adelaide in particular has seen some excellent occupancy in recent years and we are pleased to have secured this prime location in the city’s CBD for the third hotel in our portfolio.”

The property will feature free and fast Wi-Fi available in guest rooms and throughout the hotel, free Express Start™ Breakfast or a Grab & Go option for a smart start to the day, high quality bedding and choice of firm or soft pillows, a self-service business centre and laundry room and access to the fitness centre. The hotel will also have two meeting rooms for small functions and events.

IHG currently has 24 hotels operating under three brands in Australia: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, with a further four hotels in the development pipeline, including Holiday Inn Express Sydney Macquarie Park, which will mark the launch of the brand in the country when it opens in early 2016.

There are currently 2,365 Holiday Inn Express hotels (more than 229,000 rooms) open across the globe, with a further 522 hotels (nearly 63,000 rooms) due to open in the next three to five years.