MIAMI, FL (Nov. 16, 2010) – IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, and whose roots in Brazil can be traced to 1946, continued its growth in Latin America’s largest nation with the opening of its first hotel in the city of Cuiab�, the Holiday Inn Express Cuiab�. The hotel is the13th IHG property in Brazil and the 39th Holiday Inn-branded hotel in Latin America, with nine additional Holiday Inns currently under construction.
 
The 128-room Holiday Inn Express Cuiab� is developed and owned by Diamante Azul Hotelaria and is located in the Jardim Leblon neighborhood within 20 minutes of the Marechal Rondon Airport in Cuiab�. The new hotel features a fitness and business center as well as 12 meetings rooms of premium event space with capacity for 500 people.
 
Cuiab� is the capital of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, which is located in the center of Brazil.  Cuiab� itself is renowned for its location in the exact geographic center of Latin America.
 
“Cuiab� is an ideal example of the type of location in which we look to further the Holiday Inn brand throughout Brazil,” said Jim Anhut, Chief Development Officer, Americas.  “It is a city of a half-million people, with a well-balanced economy that focuses on tourism, agro-business and trade.  There are literally dozens of cities in Brazil that we have targeted as potential sites to further the growth of the Holiday Inn brand.”
 
The Holiday Inn Express Cuiab� features the brand’s new logo, which is the seal of approval that it exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the Holiday Inn global brand relaunch was established to create a more contemporary brand image – improving quality and driving consistency across the global portfolio. The global estate of more than 3,400 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties are expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and nearly 2,800 hotels have already been relaunched to date.
 
The relaunch focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests - a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night's sleep. Relaunched hotels such as the Holiday Inn Express Cuiab� feature:

• Upgraded and de-cluttered lobby areas
• A Holiday Inn Express signature scent and sound
• New exterior lighting and landscaping
• New signage with the redesigned logo
• All Holiday Inn employees also go through an extensive "Stay Real" training program to ensure guests receive the level of service they expect.

IHG’s 12 existing properties in Brazil are located in: Belem, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Luis do Maranhao and Sao Paulo. 

“Brazil continues to position itself as a global economic powerhouse, and we welcome the property and its owner Diamante Azul Hotelaria to the IHG family,” said Alvaro Diago, COO, IHG, Latin America and Caribbean. “With the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016, all eyes are on this country, and one of the key areas is hotel expansion. With 64 years of continuous experience in Latin America, and Brazil the location of our birth, we believe that IHG’s value proposition to owners is unlike any other international hotel company’s.”
 
IHG has nearly 190 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for 64 years. IHG has hotels situated in nearly every key market throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Holiday Inn Express hotels participate in IHG’s guest loyalty program, Priority Club� Rewards, the industry’s first and largest guest loyalty program with 52 million members.  Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on www.priorityclub.com, calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG’s nearly 4,400 hotels worldwide.

About Holiday Inn Express:
Holiday Inn Express hotels are modern hotels for value-oriented travelers.  Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers.  Guests Stay Smart� at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start� Breakfast Bar, free high-speed internet access and free local phone calls (US and Canada only).  There are currently more than 2,100 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe.  For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit http://www.hiexpress.com/.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms.  IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, over 4,500 hotels and more than 650,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.  The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental� Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo�, Crowne Plaza� Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn� Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express�, Staybridge Suites� and Candlewood Suites� and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club� Rewards with 52 million members worldwide.
 
IHG has over 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 160,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England andWales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media