IHG revealed on Wednesday a new brand prototype for its Holiday Inn Express brand for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

　　IHG revealed on Wednesday a new brand prototype for its Holiday Inn Express brand for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

　　Construction documents for the rollout will be available in late Q2 this year, and IHG said it expects the first hotels with the retrofitted version of this prototype will open later this year and the first hotels with the new-build version of the prototype will open in 2015. IHG said a cost-per-key figure is currently being finalized, but cost-saving measures for the prototype in product selection were implemented such as LED lighting and durable materials.

　　Jennifer Gribble, IHG’s director, head of Americas, Holiday Inn Express Brand, told HOTELS an owners' advisory council was created to look at schematic design and product selection, particularly during the design development phase. "They were really able to weigh in on products that were similar, had durability and delivered the guest experience but were less expensive,” she said.

　　In addition to the owner advisory board, the Holiday Inn Express brand conducted focus groups with guests and completed competitive analysis and research to develop the updates to the prototype design.

　　New look

　　The prototype’s guestrooms feature a flexible workspace, functional storage units providing horizontal luggage storage for guests and moveable seating. The bed’s headboard and the sliding door dividing the entrance from the bed area feature acoustical materials to reduce noise. The refrigerator is located outside the bed area to make its operating noises less detectable for guests.

　　New décor for both the guestroom and public area features neutral colors and interesting textural combinations.

　　The Great Room, a multi-purpose area in the lobby of the hotel, encompasses the Holiday Inn Express brand’s Express Start breakfast bar, dining area and additional seating areas. The Great Room features an open business center, a 24/7 F&B outlet, individual check-in pods in the front lobby and a flexible breakfast/meeting space area featuring natural light.

　　Dual-brand focus

　　The Holiday Inn Express brand is the bulk of IHG’s U.S. pipeline, which the company says is increasingly focused on dual-branded properties in the top 20 urban markets. “Holiday Inn Express could be paired with Candlewood or StayBridge Suites,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG. “Typically the dual-branded projects will include one extended-stay and then one transient-oriented brand.”

　　Looking ahead, Eisemann said he expects select-service deals to exceed full-service deals. “I think select-service is one of the major growth areas in terms of new-build construction. We really aren’t seeing a lot of new build in the upscale area due to cost and financing,” Eisemann told HOTELS.