Holiday Inn Express confirms flexible hotel re-design rollout

Holiday Inn Express is to roll out a flexible re-design of its European hotels, dubbed the Next Generation experience.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced in March 2015 that it was redesigning the bedrooms, lobby, dining area, food and beverage menu and service at the London Greenwich hotel of its budget brand, with a view to expand the concept at a future date.

The re-design enables guests to use their own technology in-room, work more flexibly, and have access to simple, "on-the-go" food. It will now be launched across Europe, beginning in the UK at the Holiday Inn Express hotels in Park Royal and Ealing in London, Grimsby and Portsmouth North. The new features will be introduced to a quarter of the brand's 227-strong estate in Europe within the next three years.

Specific features include Smart TVs enabling guests to stream their own media from a personal device; a larger beds with a more-supportive headrest inspired by business class aeroplane seats; traditional desks replaced by ergonomic chairs and tables that can be moved around the bedrooms; and the Express Café & Bar offering guests in-hotel breakfasts or a takeaway options.

Holiday Inn Express has 41 hotels under development, with 573 new hotels set to open worldwide in the next three to five years. The brand has identified the UK and Germany as key areas for growth.

Mike Greenup, vice president, brand management, Holiday Inn Brand Family, Europe, IHG, said: "A hotel room is no longer just a place to sleep and our approach to technology and service starts with understanding our guests and their needs throughout their booking experience and stay. This investment in guest insight and our hotels is enabling us to stay ahead of the game."

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