�With this recent upgrade of our brand sites, our goal is to provide consumers quick access to quality hotel and reservations information and online booking capabilities,� said Ravi Saligram, chief marketing officer and managing director of global strategy for Bass Hotels Resorts. �No other hotel company offers an easier or faster way to book a room.� Saligram added that the Internet is a highly effective marketing and communication medium for Bass Hotels Resorts. The newly-enhanced Web sites reflect the company�s distinctive brand personalities and display hotel and reservation information in an easy-to-navigate and convenient manner. The upgrade also reinforces the company�s overall e-commerce strategy to build leadership in new channels of distribution in the digital world, as well as leverage brand strength and consumer relationships.

The sites are now primarily text-based allowing for faster load times and easier navigation, making them much more user-friendly. In addition to speeding up the download time, they also enable consumers to make reservations directly from the hotel brand home pages, reducing the number of �clicks� required to access reservation information. As a result, visitors will now find immediate access to reservations information prominently displayed on the home pages.  Another new feature on all the sites is the Quick Reservations option which allows users to find only those hotels with rooms available in a specified city on a selected date. The reservations section also displays a full range of rate and room type information. On the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn sites consumers are able to see at a glance the different promotions running in each region around the world.

In addition, the Hotel Directory section has been enhanced to allow guests to search the specific property type they prefer.  And, guests may also indicate the specific amenities that are important to them. For example, they can search only for hotels with an indoor pool and business center or they can look for hotels with a recreation center that also allow pets. A total of 15 amenities are available to search from.

The recent upgrade of the Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts site has made it the hotel industry�s fastest and most content-rich Web site, with each hotel providing more than 35 pages of information relevant to both domestic and international travelers. Inter-Continental�s home page can now be downloaded in less than 12 seconds, 2 to 4 times faster than any other competing hotel site.

Priority Club Worldwide, Bass Hotels Resorts� frequent guest program, has also redesigned the look and feel of its Web site -- www.priorityclub.com. Features include quick enrollment and access to account information and point balance. In addition, when checking availability, the rates are displayed based on the Priority Club member�s preferences such as room type.  On the www.holiday-inn.com site, the popular HOLIDEALS discounts on last minute weekend travel now include international properties throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America. Each Monday, Holiday Inn posts a list of participating hotels and the rates they�re offering, with discounts of a minimum 40 percent off the standard rates available for the coming weekend.

In a recent survey by BizRate.com, online consumers highly ranked both the Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express sites for ease of navigation and making a reservation, appearance, quality of information, on-time delivery, customer support, and much more. BizRate.com is an unbiased, independent rating guide built on the experience of millions of actual online buyers, and can be visited at www.bizrate.com.

As the world�s most global hotel company, Bass Hotels Resorts is aggressively building a leadership position in the digital world. In January, the company announced a new strategic alliance with U.K.-based lastminute.com creating a synergistic approach to market Bass Hotels Resorts properties to a growing niche of travelers whose lifestyles are geared towards spontaneous �impulse� buying.