First Even hotel from IHG opens today

The first in a new brand of lifestyle and wellness hotels from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened today in the US.

Located in Norwalk, Connecticut, the 129-bedroom hotel Even hotel is designed to meet the growing demand from guests for fitness opportunities when travelling.

It offers healthy grab-and-go items with clear nutritional and ingredient labelling, natural eucalyptus linens aimed at offering a cooler sleep, an in-room training zone, general manger-led community runs and ergonomic work spaces.

Kirk Kinsell, president, the Americas, IHG, described the opening of the first Even hotel as "a milestone", with a second set to launch in Rockville, Maryland later this month.

"We know that for the travelling public, the ability to maintain their health routine while on the road is becoming more and more important and Even Hotels provides the tools and encouragement to make healthier choices at an approachable price point," he explained.

Two further Even hotels are being developed in midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York, with Washington DC, San Francisco, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles all regarded as target locations.

Richard Solomons, chief executive of IHG, last year hinted to Caterer and Hotelkeeper that the Even brand could eventually launch in the UK.

"I can see a time when we will launch here, it is simply a matter of when," he said. "It often takes five to 10 years for a brand to become established and gain the momentum to expand."

The launch of the first Even hotel comes ahead of the opening of IHG's first Hualuxe Hotels and Resorts property, the first luxury international hotel brand designed specifically for the Chinese guest.