IHG to Open Holiday Inn Express Near Chicago's Magnificent Mile

Renovated property to open this summer

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. October 14, 2008

JUNE 21, 2007. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced today that the 175-room Holiday Inn Express Chicago-Magnificent Mile is expected to open in late summer, after a $16 million renovation to a historic 1920's building.

Located one block from Chicago's world-famous Magnificent Mile, the property originally opened in 1927 as the Cass Hotel and was home to aspiring actors, musicians and entertainers. The historic detail of the building's facade and architectural style of a boutique hotel built in the Roaring 20's are mixed with contemporary design throughout the lobby and guestrooms.

"Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travelers," said Verchele Wiggins, vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Express. "We're proud to offer our guests a unique property in a 'magnificent' location that combines a Beaux-Arts gem with the contemporary comforts they have come to expect."

Guests at the Holiday Inn Express Chicago-Magnificent Mile will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure. The hotel's Express Start(R) breakfast bar, a complimentary caf'e-style breakfast bar, features a proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast(R) coffee as well as other morning favorites. The SimplySmartTM shower incorporates a proprietary Stay SmartTM Kohler showerhead, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a new line of cinnamon-scented bath products into each guest bathroom. Guests at the hotel also will enjoy the brand's fresh, new SimplySmartTM bedding collection that features an attractive decorative top sheet, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

The newly renovated 68,000 sq.-ft. property offers business travelers a variety of key amenities such as free high speed Internet access with WiFi capabilities, free local phone calls (U.S. and Canada only), phone with private voicemail and free daily delivery of USA Today. In addition guests have access to conveniences like in-room video check-out, discounted parking adjacent to the hotel and express check-out. Standard Holiday Inn Express guest rooms feature either one comfortable queen or king-sized bed, or two comfortable double beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast 100% Arabica coffee.

"We invested $16 million in renovations to the building's interior and we are very pleased with the end result," said Mike Zels, general manager. "We were able to maintain the historic charm and warmth of the original building, while updating it to provide our guests the modern, fresh, clean and uncomplicated style they have learned to expect in a Holiday Inn Express."

The property is within walking distance to the Michigan Ave. shopping district, John Hancock Center and Water Tower Place and just minutes from Lake Michigan, Millennium Park, Grant Park, Wrigley Field and Soldier Field. Area businesses include IBM, Boeing, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.

The Holiday Inn Express Chicago-Magnificent Mile is owned by HCP Oxford OBG Cass Property Company LLC and managed by The Bricton Group, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group and is located at 640 N. Wabash Ave. Telephone: 312-787-4030 ; Facsimile: 312-787-8544.