IHG Signs Nine Hotels Across Five Brands in UK & Ireland

31.01.24 (London, UK): IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, announces nine signings across five brands in UK and Ireland – totalling more than 1,000 new rooms – as its rapid growth in all market segments continues.

The hotels span IHG’s popular Hotel Indigo, voco hotels, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites brands, and significantly increases the company’s already-impressive footprint in UK&I, where it has more than 350 open hotels.

Covering all four market segments in Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials and Suites, the properties will cater for all types of domestic and international travellers, staying for business and leisure.

The agreements include the first voco hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is set to open its door to the public later this year – the latest milestone for IHG’s fastest-growing premium brand which has a number of new hotels set to welcome guests throughout 2024 and 2025.

IHG has also signed another Hotel Indigo property in Gloucester – adding to its 18 operational Hotel Indigo properties* – as well as strengthening its established Holiday Inn brand family with three new properties in Wrexham, Reading and Bournemouth.

(Mrs) Willemijn Geels, VP Development, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “Adding over 1,000 rooms through nine new signings is a great reflection of our investment in the UK&I market, and of the confidence of our owners in IHG, who continue to trust us to develop and open successful hotels with them.
Across all four of our brand segments, this growth is also fuelled by continued appetite from domestic and international travellers, and their love for IHG’s family of brands and the experiences we offer. I’m incredibly proud of our team who are committed to growing IHG’s presence in what is our home market, and the biggest across Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa (EMEAA).”

The latest signings span all corners of the UK:

Luxury and lifestyle

• Hotel Indigo Gloucester – The Forum: Located in The Forum development in the heart of the city centre, and in partnership with Gloucester City Council and the Reef Group, the 131-room Hotel Indigo Gloucester – The Forum is expected to open later in 2024. The property will include a one-of-a-kind restaurant focused on celebrating the local neighbourhood, and an exquisite rooftop cocktail bar with views onto a bespoke private courtyard. Guests will also have access to a gym, conferencing facilities and The Forum’s state-of-the-art digital innovation hub.

Premium

• voco Salisbury: Located in the quaint cathedral city, voco Salisbury is owned by Zarfeen Group Limited and upon opening in the second half of 2024, will have 57 rooms. Salisbury is a growing destination for both leisure and business travellers due to its cultural and historic attractions, including the picturesque Cathedral of Salisbury, and being home to a number of large corporations including the UK’s Ministry of Defence and NHS facilities, respectively.
• voco Belfast: Located in central Belfast, voco Belfast will be in an ideal location for guests looking to visit the city’s historic tourist hotspots. The 120-room property will be owned by Cliste Hospitality and is set to open its door in summer 2024, marking the brand’s debut in Northern Ireland.
• voco Leicester: Located in the heart of Leicester, the 191-room property has been signed together with Kew Green Hotels and was formerly the Hotel Brooklyn Leicester. Once converted to voco Leicester by mid-2024, the property will house a unique restaurant and bar, and flexible meetings and event spaces, drawing both leisure and business guests.
• voco Manchester: Located in central Manchester, voco Manchester has also been signed with Kew Green Hotels and is due to open in mid-2024. With both tourist attractions and business hubs, including the Manchester Central Convention Complex, only a short walk from the 189-room hotel, voco Manchester will be the perfect location for both business and leisure guests alike.
• voco The Clifton Folkestone: Owned by Leaf Hotel Group, voco The Clifton Folkestone will be the first voco property in the South East of the UK. Set to open in the second half of 2024, the property will be adjacent to Folkestone Beach and provide guests with uninterrupted views of the English Channel. Converted from six Victorian townhouses, the 78-key hotel will be the ideal location for guests wanting a British seaside getaway, with its picturesque coastline and prominent restaurants and bars, whilst also offering easy access into London through regular transport links.

Essentials

• Holiday Inn Wrexham: Owned by QN Hotels, the property was signed in late 2023 and is set to open its doors in early 2025. The 87-room hotel will mark the first IHG-branded hotel in North Wales and cater to a diverse range of guests – from those visiting Wrexham A.F.C, one of the oldest professional football teams in the UK, to business professionals working in one of the many manufacturing, bio-tech, finance and professional services companies.
• Holiday Inn Express Reading Oxford Road: Owned by Tulip Real Estate, the 104-room hotel will build on IHG’s existing footprint in Reading. The property will be strategically located in the heart of the city and is expected to welcome guests in the second half of 2025.

Suites

• Staybridge Suites Belfast: Signed in October 2023 offering 132 rooms, and the fourth IHG property owned by Andras House, Staybridge Suites Belfast will be part of the Bedford Yard development and expected to open its doors to guests towards the end of 2027. The property will have uninterrupted views of the city from the upper floors, including the City Hall, Dublin Road – through to the Belfast Hills.

IHG has 353* hotels currently in operation across the UK and Ireland, and a further 20* in development spanning right across its brand portfolio. This year, IHG will see the opening of The Halyard Liverpool Vignette Collection. With an identity anchored in Liverpool’s maritime heritage, the 133-bedroom property in Ropewalks marks the inaugural UK opening for Vignette Collection, part of IHG’s growing Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio – now the second largest in the world. Other notable openings include Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central, Holiday Inn Blackpool, voco Leicester, voco Salisbury and voco The Clifton Folkstone to name a few.

*Numbers as at 30 September 2023