IHG Announces Opening of Holiday Inn Aurora, Il

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. October 14, 2008

MARCH 6, 2008. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms announced today that the 82-room, 21st-century Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora has plans to open February 25, 2008.

Developed to be more efficient to build, operate and maintain, the 56,000 sq.-ft. Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora will bring the iconic heritage of the Holiday Inn brand to life in a modern, innovative design that will set new standards for business travelers and families alike. Holiday Inn's prototype next-generation hotel opened in Duluth, Ga., a few miles north of Atlanta, in January 2004.

"We are proud to welcome the Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora property to the Holiday Inn family," said John Merkin, senior vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Brands, The Americas. "With this hotel design, Holiday Inn has arrived at the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation that will define the Holiday Inn of the future, offering the value and authenticity business travelers and families expect from this beloved brand. The Holiday Inn Chicago/Aurora represents the new face of the brand that is redefining guest comfort in towns across America."

Throughout the hotel, guests will see artwork reflecting memorable images from the Holiday Inn brand history, including founder Kemmons Wilson departing his Holiday Inn jet, a stylized version of the Great Sign - the iconic beacon that came to embody the brand - and the Great Sign as a '50s-style movie set backdrop.

The hotel's full-service restaurant will be Kem's Caf'e, a new concept from Holiday Inn named after the brand's founder, Kemmons Wilson. Kem's Caf'e will serve two meals a day featuring a wide array of "comfort food," including the Road Trip sandwich, Empire Caesar Salad and Flame Broiled Rib-eye Steak. Kem's Caf'e offers the standard Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfast? menu, featuring signature items such as Cinnamon Supreme French ToastTM, Low-Carb InspirationsTM and Skillet InspirationsTM. Kids 12 and younger eat free at Holiday Inn when ordering from the kids' menu in the hotel restaurant and accompanied by a dining adult. Room Service Right...On TimeTM, also a standard at all Holiday Inn hotels, ensures that guests' room service orders are accurate and delivered on time, every time.

The hotel design debuts a bold change in room d'ecor for Holiday Inn, creating a residential atmosphere that features iconic representations of the brand's history throughout the hotel. The bedspread and carpet display simple, organic patterns in stand-out colors like warm blues, browns and mahogany wood, and each guestroom features a newly designed breakaway armoire that allows guests to see the flat screen TV from anywhere in the room. Upgraded features like faux leather ottomans, a variety of lamps, refrigerators and granite vanities will all be standard in each room. The residential design includes business-focused necessities like an ergonomic work station, data ports, complimentary high speed Internet access, WiFi capabilities and AT&T VoIP phone systems, which will allow guests to conduct conference calls for up to six participants even while using their computer online. In addition, each room will have the standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations - comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, cable television, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.