Alaska's First Crowne Plaza Opens as Full-Service Hotel

Owned by Anchorage Hospitality, LLC, and Sixth Anchorage Property Managed by The Hotel Group

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. July 23, 2009

ANCHOAGE AK, July 21, 2009 - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)[LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, and The Hotel Group today announce the opening of the Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown, located at 109 W. International Airport Road, two miles from the Ted Stevens International Airport. Anchorage Hospitality, LLC, owns the 165-room, six-story full-service hotel. This is the sixth hotel in Anchorage managed by THG; other THG properties in Anchorage include Comfort Inn, Microtel Inn & Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Motel 6 and Holiday Inn Express. The Hotel Group also manages Holiday Inn Express properties in Seward and Fairbanks.

A Grand Opening Celebration will be held in conjunction with the Anchorage Convention & Visitor's Bureau on Sept. 24 to introduce the stylish Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown to the local community. Award-winning designer Lisa Taylor of KLT Design Co., Dallas, is responsible for the property's fresh, contemporary design scheme.

"We are honored that the Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown is the first for the brand in Alaska," said Tammy Griffin, THG Director of Operations and life-long Alaskan. "The Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown is expected to be in demand as strong as our three Holiday Inn Express properties across the state."

"We are very excited to bring the Crowne Plaza brand to a new market, especially with such a beautiful new-build property," said Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza, the Americas. "Guests will be very pleased with our Sleep Advantage offering and our comprehensive meetings program, which they won't find at any other hotel in Alaska."

According to THG, the Anchorage hotel market continues to grow. Griffin said she personally has witnessed year-over-year hotel revenue increases for the city over the past 20 years. The market has a diversified combination of group travelers, corporate/government business and tourism. Although Alaska has seen a slight tourism decrease in some areas and a substantial decrease in others this year, Griffin said she doesn't believe there will be a long-term decline for the state.

"What's most exciting is that the opening of the Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown brings with it 70 new jobs," she said. "We believe that over the next nine to 18 months tourism will return, especially due to the new Anchorage Convention Center and the amazing cultural and entertainment offerings we possess (just minutes from downtown, shopping, the Alaska Railroad Station, H2Oasis, Denaina Convention Center, the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center and the Alaska Zoo)."

Stellar Accommodations

The Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown features the Juno restaurant and lounge, an urban casual restaurant featuring traditional American fare and Alaskan regional bistro style menu items. Juno lounge offers a full selection of premium cocktails, domestic and imported beers as well as a variety of wines and cordials. Meeting the needs of its diverse guests who demonstrate style and demand comfort, a variety of specialty coffees, from espressos to lattes, are available to all Juno guests. The property also boasts a library with mountain views, business center, indoor Saline pool with spa, complimentary local airport shuttle service, guest laundry, a convenience store and gift shop. All guestrooms are designated as non smoking and include generously sized work desks, along with free wireless and wired high-speed Internet access (HSIA), 37-inch flat screen TV's with more than 100 channel selections including High Def options, coffee makers, hair dryers, two-line phone with voice mail, mini refrigerators and microwave ovens.

An Executive Club level with Concierge Lounge features complimentary continental breakfast, cocktail hour, dinner snacks, newspaper, and turndown service. Guestrooms on the concierge floor feature I-Pod docking stations in the lamps along with extra power outlets throughout the room to accommodate the modern traveler.

The hotel features the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage(R), available at all Crowne Plaza hotels in the Americas. Sleep Advantage encompasses the entire sleep experience, from training staff on how to create and maintain a restful environment to providing innovative products and services. Program components include signature bedding, guaranteed wake-up calls, designated quiet zones, nightlights, drape clips and amenities such as eye masks, earplugs and lavender spray.

Also consistent with the Crowne Plaza brand, the hotel offers a comprehensive meetings program to ensure a seamless planning process and exceptional meeting experience consisting of three key components: a Two Hour Response Guarantee, Crowne Meetings Director and a Daily Meetings Debrief. The hotel has 4,000 square feet of meeting space for business functions or special events.

Located nearby are local companies such as British Petroleum (BP), Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, Alyeska Pipeline, CH2M Hill, Denali - The Alaska Gas Pipeline, Providence Hospital, Alaska Regional Hospital, Alaska Native Medical Center and the University of Alaska.

"Travelers to Anchorage will quickly realize that the Crowne Plaza Anchorage Midtown is 'The Place To Meet'," said Lara Latture, THG Executive Vice President and Principal. "This property is both contemporary and traditional, warm and inviting; a comfortable mix of Art Nouveau and modern furniture lends a playful, elegant and approachable appeal. The building design and room d'ecor are such a WOW!

This property exemplifies the finest furnishings and service and will truly be a treat for any guest hosted. Our Crowne Plaza will provide an Alaska experience of a lifetime with the stellar accommodations offered.

"Feedback from the local community has been overwhelming and we believe that international travelers and those from the lower 48 states will be as delighted as we are to see this magnificent new Crowne Plaza hotel entering the market," she added. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with IHG as they expand their presence in this state. It is our goal to make the Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown 'the' premiere full-service hotel in Anchorage."

For more information on the Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown, visit www.crowneplaza.com/anchorageak or direct at 907-443-4100.

The Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown is owned by Anchorage Hospitality, LLC, and managed by The Hotel Group, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club(R) Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has 43 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG's more than 4,200 hotels worldwide.