Holiday Inn Opens in Richmmond, VA

Full-Service Holiday Inn opened April 30, 2010, featuring new sign and brand standards as part of the worldwide brand relaunch.

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. May 07, 2010

May 05, 2010 - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms announced today that a new 167 room Holiday Inn in Richmond, VA has opened.

The Holiday Inn South - Bells Road, which is owned by Eastern Hospitality, LLC and managed by Newport Hospitality Group, Inc., is pleased to announce its Executive Committee as well. The General Manager has been named as Paul Contomanolis. He comes to us with over 30 years in the industry most recently as a Consultant for Marriott. His team consists of Hanna Averitt, Front Office Manager; Freddie Bates, Housekeeping Manager; Austin Bryant, Director of Food and Beverage; Dawn Carrazna, Human Resources; and Laura K. Moloney, Director of Sales. The hotel phone number is 804-592-2900.

The property showcases the brand's new sign, which is the seal of approval that this hotel exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. The Holiday Inn brand relaunch is the largest in the history of the hospitality industry, with more than 3,300 hotels around the world being updated - improving quality and driving consistency at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world. The global estate is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 1,800 hotels have been already been relaunched to date.

The re-launch focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests - a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night's sleep. Relaunched hotels feature:

• Upgraded and de-cluttered lobby areas
• A Holiday Inn scent and sound
• New, luxurious bedding
• Upgraded showers and bathroom amenities by Bath & Body Works
• New exterior lighting and landscaping
• New signage with the redesigned logo
• All Holiday Inn employees also go through an extensive "Stay Real" training program to ensure guests receive the level of service they expect.

“We welcome this property to the Holiday Inn family of hotels with the brand new sign and everything it represents. Holiday Inn hotels are specifically designed for business and family oriented leisure travelers in need of a full-service lodging experience, and this property fits well within that offering,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, the Americas, IHG. “Development in Richmond is important in expanding our Holiday Inn consumer base and growing an even stronger presence across the Americas.”

The Holiday Inn South - Bells Road offers a variety of amenities such over 3,500 square feet of banquet and catering space, onsite business center, free wired and wireless Internet, onsite fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, onsite guest laundry, and gift shop.

The full-service hotel includes a Sporting News Grill restaurant, featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that reflect the tastes of sports fans, with specialty burgers, Choice Steaks, unique appetizers and a signature Sporting News Grill steak salad. In keeping with the spirit of a sports bar, there will be an extensive selection of beers available. The restaurant will offer Holiday Inn's Best-4-Breakfast? menu, and kids 12 and younger eat free when ordering from the kids' menu and accompanied by a dining adult.

The restaurant's design includes touches like hardwood-style flooring, solid wood tables and unique circular booth seating, which are intended to elevate the overall experience for guests. The division between the bar and seated dining area make the restaurant an equally suitable option for social events or a business dinner. Bold photographs taken from the rich archive of the Sporting News pay tribute to both legendary and contemporary athletes as well as some of the greatest moments in sports history, while nine plasma televisions broadcast current games and events. Unique “plasma trees” constructed using high-quality plasma screen televisions are surrounded by a perimeter of tables and chairs, providing guests with an unobstructed view of the action from any angle.

Standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations feature comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, cable television to include premium channels, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” Bathrooms include a specially designed showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities. Guestrooms provide a work desk and ergonomic chair, data ports and desk-level power outlets, complimentary USA TODAY? newspapers and in-room check-out capabilities. Complimentary high speed Internet access is also available.

Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club? Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has 48 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 4,400 hotels worldwide.