Bern Hotels & Resorts & IHG to Build New 126-room Crowne Plaza Panama Airport Hotel in Panama

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. April 01, 2014

MIAMI - April 1, 2014 - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], one of the world's leading global hotel companies, today announced the latest addition to the growing Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts portfolio with the signing of the Crowne Plaza Panama Airport hotel. The new-build, 126-room hotel is expected to open in February 2015 and will be the second Crowne Plaza hotel in Panama.

Located conveniently near Tocumen International Airport, the Crowne Plaza Panama Airport hotel will be part of the Global Business Terminal, a 520,000 square foot modern complex with eight office towers, an exhibition hall, a conference center and parking facilities for more than 700 vehicles. Maintaining the Crowne Plaza brand's reputation as the ideal choice for meetings and events, the hotel will offer 3,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as a restaurant, bar, business center, two retail shops and an outdoor swimming pool.

"This hotel's location in a global business hub near a major international airport makes it a perfect fit for the Crowne Plaza brand," said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, IHG, the Americas. "We know our guests need to be productive when they're on the road for work, and our hotels offer the service and amenities that enable them to be successful."

The Crowne Plaza Panama Airport hotel is a franchise agreement with Bern Hotels & Resorts, which owns the existing InterContinental Miramar Panama, InterContinental Playa Bonita Resort & Spa, Crowne Plaza Panama and Holiday Inn Panama Canal hotels. IHG currently has five hotels and 971 rooms open in Panama, with another two hotels (248 rooms) in the pipeline (as of Dec.31, 2013).

"This marks our fifth project with longstanding IHG partner Bern Hotels & Resorts. The company has an excellent reputation in the region and we look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with them," said Alvaro Diago, chief operating officer, Latin America and Caribbean at IHG. "We feel that a Crowne Plaza hotel will work very well in this market as it offers a combination of premium accommodations and great service that will enable business travelers to have a successful trip."

The hotel will feature the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage® program, which 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 and aromatherapy.

The Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, IHG Rewards® Club. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program with more than 77 million members is free to join and guests can enroll at ihgrewardsclub.com, by downloading the IHG® app or by inquiring at the front desk of any of the more than 4,700 IHG hotels worldwide. All IHG Rewards Club members will have access to free Internet globally in 2014. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that our hotels can meet our guests' needs whatever the occasion.

About Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts

Part of the IHG global portfolio, the Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts brand is a dynamic upscale hotel brand located in nearly 65 countries around the world in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. As the fourth largest upscale full-service hotel brand in the world and one of the fastest growing, the Crowne Plaza brand has a solid foundation for future growth. The portfolio has doubled since 2003 to nearly 400 hotels, and the global pipeline has increased fourfold to nearly 100 hotels. At Crowne Plaza hotels, we help our guests feel energized and productive, with 24-hour business services, wireless Internet access in the lobby, and fitness and leisure facilities. Our Sleep Advantage® program ensures our guests get a great night's sleep to power through their day. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visit www.ihg.com/crowneplaza or call 1-877-2CROWNE. Connect with us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crowneplaza or Facebook: www.Facebook.com/crowneplaza.

About IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 77 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet access across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns 4,700 hotels and 687,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.