IHG opens first Holiday Inn Express in South Africa

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently opened Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre, the group’s first limited service hotel in South Africa. Built at a cost of USD16.24 million, the hotel is the first of 25 properties IHG is developing across the country under an exclusive agreement with ISO Leisure, a leading hospitality industry developer in South Africa.

Conveniently located in St George’s Mall Street in the heart of Cape Town’s revived and vibrant Central Business District, Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre is in a perfect setting for the budget-conscious business and leisure traveller. To add to this, the hotel is in close proximity to the world renowned Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with majestic views across to Table Mountain.

The property comprises 175 well-appointed rooms which provide guests with cable TV, a power shower, in-room safe, coffee and tea facilities, plus complimentary continental breakfast at the ‘Great Room’ restaurant. Guests can also make use of a fully-equipped business centre with high speed internet access.

Commenting on the new opening, John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, IHG, Middle East & Africa said: “Holiday Inn Express is the fastest growing limited service brand in the world, opening on average two hotels every week around the globe. We are proud to be partnering with ISO Leisure to bring this extremely popular brand to South Africa with the opening of Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre.”

“We are also working with ISO Leisure to bring three more properties under the Holiday Inn flag into South Africa within the next two years. These will be two Holiday Inn Express hotels and one Holiday Inn. Adding these properties to our estate will address the increased demand for internationally-branded, high-quality accommodation and support the growth of business and leisure travel to South Africa.”

ISO Leisure Chief Executive, Gavin Watson, said: “Our partnership with IHG to develop four hotels, totalling USD771.71 million in new investment, is indicative of our confidence going forward in the country’s economy, especially its leisure and tourism sector. Holiday Inn is the world’s leading hospitality industry brand and, just four years ago, was voted South Africa’s top performing hotel brand. We have every reason to believe that the properties, ideally located in South Africa’s leading commercial and tourist centres, will be every bit as successful.” The Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre opened on the 10th March 2008.

Holiday Inn Express Cape Town City Centre is IHG’s second Holiday Inn Express property to open in the Middle East and Africa region, with the UAE’s Holiday Inn Express Dubai Internet City having opened in November 2007.

Developed by IHG in 1991, Holiday Inn Express is the world’s largest limited service brand and is growing rapidly. Globally, there are more than 1,800 Holiday Inn Express properties with over 155,000 rooms offering comfort, value and convenience to international business and leisure travellers.