Royal Hotels and IHG to Open InterContinental Sydney Double Bay in Australia in January 2014
New Delhi, India - July 25, 2013 - Double Bay's legendary hotel situated at 33 Cross Street is soon to become InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. Singaporean-based Royal Hotels and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) have signed a management agreement for the 140-room InterContinental hotel on this famed site in one of Sydney's most luxurious suburbs.
Royal Hotels will undertake a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of all guest rooms and public areas of the hotel, after which it will reopen as InterContinental Sydney Double Bay in January 2014.
Purpose-built in 1991 as the Ritz Carlton Double Bay, the hotel established a reputation as the place to stay for celebrities when visiting Sydney. It became the Stamford in 2001, before closing in 2009 with a view to being redeveloped.
Australian architects, Bates Smart have been appointed by Royal Hotels to restore the hotel to its former glory. Facilities will include a ballroom for up to 300 guests, meeting space, an all-day dining restaurant, Club InterContinental, cafe, lounge and bar, rooftop pool and bar and generous underground parking. Underneath the hotel, a ground floor arcade will be developed and is anticipated to include a health club or day spa as well as retail space.
Bobby Hiranandani, Director of Royal Hotels said, "We are tremendously excited about re-launching this property and becoming a member of the internationally-renowned InterContinental family. We selected IHG as our partner for this hotel based on the strength of the InterContinental brand both here and worldwide, and its proven ability to deliver premium returns on the assets that bear its name.
"Our plan is to rejuvenate this ideally-situated hotel and its surrounds, making it the destination for Eastern-suburbs locals and Australian and international visitors alike. InterContinental Sydney Double Bay will become an ideal destination for weddings, conferences and dining as well as luxury hotel accommodation.
"We are pleased to be partnering with IHG in this, a landmark in the Australian market. We have been impressed with IHG's support to date, and in them believe we have a partner that will assist us creating an exciting new guest experience in Sydney", said Hiranandani.
IHG Asia, Middle East and Africa CEO, Jan Smits continued: "The signing of InterContinental Sydney Double Bay is a significant development for the InterContinental brand in Australia. The site at 33 Cross Street has long awaited the arrival of a new luxury hotel for Sydneysiders and visitors, and we feel confident that in partnership with Royal Hotels we will create something very special for our guests".
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay will be the fifth InterContinental hotel in Australia, and will join the family of 169 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts around the world.
About InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts
About InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts: The InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand has 170 hotels located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 60 years of experience. As a brand, we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-travelled guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge, so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook. For more information, visit www.intercontinental.com, https://twitter.com/InterConHotels or http://www.facebook.com/intercontinental.
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 73 million members worldwide. The programme was re-launched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and more than 674,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 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.ihg.com/ihgrewardsclub 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.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
