Reception area - Farnborough, Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn hotels has opened its first newly-branded European properties in the UK, Holiday Inn, Heathrow and Holiday Inn, Farnborough, introducing the brand”s new look which has cost an estimated $1bn (”0.5bn).
A total of 11 Holiday Inn Express hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) ” plus 19 in the US and six across Asia Pacific ” have been chosen to ”road-test” changes to the brand.
Included in the re-launch programme is new a signage and logo, which has a new typeface, more vibrant colours and overall a more contemporary design.
”After all the meticulous planning and detailed dialogue with owners, it was a fantastic moment when the old Holiday Inn signage came down at both the London Heathrow and Farnborough Holiday Inns - and the new signage went up,” said IHG EMEA president Kirk Kinsell.
The arrival experience is also a significant area that the group has focused on, now ensuring there are new landscaping features and de-cluttered reception areas. Two key features of the welcome experience will be the use of signature scents and a music play list in the reception areas.
Refreshed guest rooms have also been included in the makeover and which will include updated bedrooms and bathrooms.
In addition, a new service culture to enhance staff behaviour and skills has also been applied in the re-launch.
Hotels in Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), China, Thailand and Australia are due to open shortly. Customer feedback and staff training during the next few months will also be implemented in time for July when the brand is fully re-launched.
The full global programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2010 and IHG expects the re-launch to generate significantly higher revenue for the group.
”This is a pivotal point in a mammoth journey for the world”s largest hotel brand; throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa alone we have more than 500 hotels, with more than 120 in development,” said Kinsell. ”The size of this task cannot be underestimated, nor the skills and expertise of everyone involved.”
In the EMEA region, IHG has a portfolio of 335 Holiday Inn and 182 Express by Holiday Inn properties with 127 hotels in the combined development pipeline. Holiday Inn is the largest full-service hotel brand in the UK with 117 hotels.