InterContinental Hotels Group -- Comfort and Class all Rolled into One

Added: 03/15/2006

Recognized as the world's second largest hotel company by the number of rooms, InterContinental Hotels Group focuses currently on two activities: hotel management and the distribution of non-alcoholic beverages. The company was formed as a result of the split of the Six Continents Company, known formerly as Bass, and may be better known under such brand names as Express, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Britvic or Crowne Plaza. Let's face it - when it comes to comfort and class, InterContinental Hotels Group has it going on!

The world's second largest hotel company, InterContinental Hotels Group dates back to 1777, when William Bass started a brewery in Burton-upon-Trent. The trademark was the first to be registered in the United Kingdom in 1876. When the number of pubs owned directly by brewers, was limited by the British Government in 1989, Bass launched its small line of hotels.

This began with the purchase of Holiday Inn International from Kemmons Wilson in 1990, expanding to North America, and the InterContinental Hotels, spreading to the luxury market.

In 2000 the company's name was changed from Bass to Six Continents, and three years later the Six Continents split into two companies: InterContinental, focusing on hotels and soft drinks, and Mitchells and Butlers plc, handling restaurant assets. Currently the soft drink division of the company, Britvic is seen as the second largest soft drinks manufacturer by volume in the United Kingdom, also owning such brands as Tango, Robinsons, J2O and R Whites, and having the franchise for 7UP and the Pepsi in the country.

Comprised of 537,500 rooms as of March 2006, InterContinental Hotels Group is headquartered in Windsor and is one of the constituents of the FTSE 100 Index. It owns and operates several hotel brands, notably InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, Candlewood Suites and Nickelodeon Family Suites. The largest and the most prominent of these, InterContinental operates more than 200 resorts and hotels in nearly 75 nations. It was launched in 1946 with the first hotel, the Hotel Grande, established in Belem, Brazil.

In 1998, InterContinental was acquired by Bass Hotels & Resorts, known today as InterContinental Hotels Group. The most famous hotels of the brand include InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam, InterContinental Carlton Cannes, InterContinental Hong Kong, InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco and more.

Operated by the InterContinental Hotels Group, Crowne Plaza is a hotel chain, catering to the business market. Its hotels can be found in city centers and close to major airports in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.

One of the smallest hotel brands operated by the InterContinental Hotels Group, Hotel Indigo opened in downtown Atlanta, Georgia in May 2004. It was followed by the second location in Chicago, Illinois, and the third property in Palatine, Illinois in 2005. The fourth location of the chain is expected to open in Houston, Texas in June 2006.

Started in 1995, Candlewood Hotel Company focused on franchise and management of hotels across the United States. In 1994 the Candlewood Suites was purchased by InterContinental Hotels Group. Currently there exist 111 hotels of the brand in North America, with over 50 hotels more planned for the period of January 2006 through December 2007.

Spacious and comfortable suites, value added amenities, exceptional guest service, highly competitive rates -- all this and more can be found in Candlewood Suites hotels, awarded a Power & Associates Award for value for the money and hotel services.

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