IHG Expands Holiday Inn Express Portfolio in Western Canada

Two Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites to open in Alberta

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. October 14, 2008

JULY 9, 2008. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG] announces two new openings for Holiday Inn Express(R) hotels in Hinton and Edson, Alberta. The Holiday Inn Express Hinton property has been open since March 2008 while the Holiday Inn Express Edson hotel is expected to open July 2008.

Both properties are located on Highway 16 near the beautiful Jasper National Park. The hotels will boast a relaxed atmosphere and great service close to breathtaking mountains and wildlife. Both will employ 25 people from each respective town and offer visitors and local residents a variety of amenities and services.

Guests at both the Holiday Inn Express Hinton and Holiday Inn Express Edson will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while travelling for business or leisure. The hotel's newly enhanced complimentary Express Start(R) breakfast bar will feature a full selection of breakfast items including cheddar cheese omelets, bacon, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and the brand's proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast(R) coffee. Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart(TM) bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative top sheet, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

'Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travellers,' said Gopal Rao, Regional Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Canada. 'With more than 1,800 properties worldwide and more than 700 properties in the pipeline, the Holiday Inn Express portfolio continues to expand in markets like Hinton and Edson, providing our guests with an enhanced stay experience at a great value.'

The new 42,000 sq.-ft. property in Hinton offers a variety of amenities such as an indoor pool and a fitness centre, as well as, meeting facilities including a boardroom with two additional meeting rooms. The new 32,000 sq.-ft property in Edson will offer on-site amenities including an indoor pool, fitness and business centre. Standard Holiday Inn Express hotel guest rooms feature comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, in room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast 100% Arabica coffee. Business travellers will find large desks with ergonomic chairs, free high-speed internet access with free local and toll free calls on in room phones with private voicemail.

'More than $12.5 million was invested in the Hinton property and $10 million to build the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Edson and we are looking forward to a promising future in both towns,' said Shazma Charania, owner and general manager in Edson. 'Both locations not only offer a high standard of modern amenities and facilities but also boast a beautiful and serene atmosphere close to one of nature's treasures, Jasper National Park, providing our guests an unforgettable stay.'

Hinton is on the outskirts of Jasper National Park and close to whitewater rafting, hiking trails, horseback riding, skiing and golf for a variety of all-year round activities that will attract those looking for leisure. The Edson property is located two hours outside of Edmonton for those looking to experience small town living and natural beauty.

Holiday Inn Express hotels participate in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club(R) Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has over 37 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging onto priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG's almost 4,000 hotels worldwide.

The Holiday Inn Express hotels in Hinton and Edson are owned and managed by Zainul & Shazma Holdings, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group and are located at Hinton and Edson, Alberta.