IHG announces the opening of the newly retro-fitted 149-room Holiday Inn Express® hotel on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas

The Global Hotel Company Continues its Momentum to Brand Former U.S. Army Lodging Properties

ATLANTA, 2015-6-9 — /Travel PR News/ — InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, and the hotel manager and operator of the billion dollar Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program, announces the recent opening of the newly retro-fitted 149-room Holiday Inn Express® hotel on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. This hotel will serve the community of Fort Bliss, which is home to over 30,000 soldiers and 10,000 civilian employees, the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, and a training area larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Arthur Holst, Vice President, Operations, IHG Army Hotels said:“IHG Army Hotels consistently deliver excellent guest service, while also improving the quality of on-post lodging for Service Members, their families, government travelers and military retirees. We are proud to welcome this Holiday Inn Express hotel on Fort Bliss that offers the service experience our guests around the world know and trust from this recognizable and respected hotel brand.”

Over the past five years, IHG has successfully brought 77 U.S. Army lodging facilities into the IHG Army Hotels portfolio through three separate phases. For existing Army lodging, IHG is converting and retro-fitting some properties to Holiday Inn Express brand standards. The Holiday Inn Express brand was chosen for the IHG Army Hotels portfolio because it is uniquely designed to meet the guest needs and stay occasions of both business and leisure travelers. The more than 2,300 Holiday Inn Express hotels worldwide offer a simple and efficient stay through the uncomplicated yet personal service travelers expect from the brand. Holiday Inn Express hotels in the IHG Army Hotels portfolio are further customized to meet the specific needs of military guests.

Mark Najera, General Manger said: “As home to one of the largest Army Medical Centers in the country and conveniently located near the El Paso International Airport, we look forward to welcoming members of the military community to Fort Bliss with the superior service and conveniences travelers expect from the Holiday Inn Express brand.”

The hotel features a pool, a 24-hour fitness center and a 24-hour business center. There is also meeting space that can comfortably accommodate up to 12 people. Newly renovated guest rooms feature contemporary styling, comfortable queen, king-sized or two double beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast™ 100% Arabica coffee.

The complimentary Express Start™ breakfast bar offers a full range of breakfast items and now also features healthy breakfast items, including Chobani® yogurt, whole wheat English muffins, Kellogg’s®breakfast cereals, new Quaker® oatmeal flavors in cups and a toppings bar for yogurt, cereal and pancakes. Additionally, the breakfast bar continues to offer a wide variety of options including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, fruit, the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast coffee.

The hotel, located at 1744 Victory Avenue, is owned by Lend Lease (U.S. Public Partnerships) and managed by IHG. The Holiday Inn Express brand is part of IHG’s diverse family of brands in nearly 100 countries and territories. The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests’ needs whatever the occasion – whether an overnight getaway, a business trip, a family celebration or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-711-TEAM or by going to IHG.com/ArmyHotels. The Holiday Inn Express brand participates in IHG® Rewards Club. The industry’s first and largest hotel rewards program is free, and guests can enroll at IHGRewardsClub.com, by downloading the IHG® App, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG’s more than 4,900 hotels worldwide. The hotel also participates in IHG Green Engage®, IHG’s online sustainability system with more than 200 Green Solutions.

About IHG Army Hotels
The IHG Army Hotels portfolio includes hotels on 39 U.S. military posts with 11,657 guestrooms. The hotels are branded and operated by IHG with Lend Lease as the hotel developer. Through the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program, renovations and improvements are being made to convert and retro-fit existing Army lodging to Holiday Inn Express® brand standards, and replace some facilities with new-build Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® hotels. Guests staying at IHG Army Hotels are eligible to earn IHG® Rewards Club points. To date, on-post guests have already been awarded over one billion IHG® Rewards Club points redeemable for future stays at over 4,900 IHG-branded hotels worldwide. Guests can enroll at www.ihgrewardsclub.com or by calling 1 (877) 424-2449. There are 350,000 people around the world who bring IHG’s broad portfolio of nine hotel brands to life. IHG has a commitment to its people, and utilizes proprietary tools to hire, train and develop world-class talent. IHG will continue to fill positions in the IHG Army Hotels portfolio, including Management, Front Desk, Housekeeping, Maintenance and Food and Beverage. For more information or to learn about career opportunities with IHG Army Hotels, please visit IHGpal.com or IHG-veterans.jobs. To book a stay, please visit www.IHGArmyHotels.com.

Media Contact:
Sherry Telford, IHG, sherry.telford@ihg.com, +1(770) 604-2613

Notes to Editors: 
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & ResortsKimpton Hotels & RestaurantsHUALUXE® Hotels and ResortsCrowne Plaza® Hotels & ResortsHotel Indigo®EVEN™ HotelsHoliday Inn® Hotels & ResortsHoliday Inn Express®Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world’s first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 86 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 4,900 hotels and 720,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries, with more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline. Over 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices worldwide.

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/mediawww.twitter.com/ihg,www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.