The new site features an appealing graphical interface that's quick and easy to navigate. It offers corporate information about Bass Hotels Resorts, its lodging brands, franchise information, the latest company news, investor information, global employment opportunities, social responsibility, and the company's loyalty programs -- Priority Club Worldwide and Six Continents Club. The site also has direct links to Bass Hotels Resorts' branded Web sites (www.interconti.com ; www.crowneplaza.com ; www.holiday-inn.com ; www.hiexpress.com ;
www.staybridge.com ) and reservations.

In conjunction with the launch of the Bass Hotels Resorts Web site, the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites sites have all been completely rebuilt with new functionality, design and more hotel-specific information than ever before. They are more graphically-based, faster, more reliable and can handle increased visitor traffic.

Among the highlights of the redesigned brand sites is the ability to search for the best available non-member rate and receive reservation confirmation via e-mail within minutes. Previously, only corporate and rack rates were available on the Web sites.

When consumers select a destination, hotels are listed in order according to their performance in the company's quality measurement system. Hotels achieving "excellent" or "commendable" status appear at the top of the list.

The sites also include information on area attractions and proximity maps that zoom in and out. Priority Club Worldwide has also recently enhanced its Web site with a host of new interactive features and options. Among the enhancements, guests can join Priority Club quickly and easily, simply by logging on to www.priorityclub.com . Current Priority Club members who visit the site can make hotel reservations, check their account information and point balance, amend point discrepancies, view a six-month summary of their account activity, and determine how many hotel stays they need to achieve the next Club level (Gold or Platinum).

In addition, guests can access their member profile and make corrections if needed, verify or create a PIN number, find out how to earn points or miles with Priority Club travel partners, read the latest issue of the Priority Club newsletter, and view membership awards.

On the www.holiday-inn.com site , consumers can now book HOLIDEALS online in addition to calling 1-888-224-2424 and asking for the HOLIDEALS rates. HOLIDEALS is a deep discount program aimed at last-minute weekend travelers launched by Holiday Inn last November. Each Tuesday, Holiday Inn posts a list of participating hotels and the rates they're offering on its Web site, with discounts available for the coming weekend. Rates offered are a minimum 40 percent off the standard rates, although in some cases, hotels may choose to set the discount even higher.

More than 2,700 hotels in over 90 countries flying the Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn and Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts flags offer a variety of services, amenities and lodging experiences catering to virtually every travel occasion and guest need. Each year more than 150 million people stay at a hotel or resort bearing one of the Bass Hotels Resorts' international lodging brands. Bass Hotels Resorts, is the hotel business of U.K.-based Bass PLC.

Bass Hotels Resorts(SM), the hotel business of Bass PLC of the United Kingdom, operates or franchises more than 2,700 hotels and 450,000 guest rooms in more than 90 countries and territories. The following service marks are owned by Bass Hotels Resorts Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates: Holiday Inn(R), Crowne Plaza(R), Holiday Inn Express(R), Holiday Inn Select(R) , Holiday Inn Garden Court(SM), Holiday InnSunSpree(R) Resorts, Staybridge Suites(SM) by Holiday Inn, Holidex(R), Holidome(R), Priority Club(R) Worldwide, e.space(R) , Inter-Continental(R), Forum(R), Six Continents Club(R), Corporate Rate Portfolio(R) and Global Partner Hotels and Resorts(R).

Bass Hotels Resorts offers information and reservations capability on its pages on the World Wide Web of the Internet -- www.holiday-inn.com for Holiday Inn hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels, www.crowneplaza.com for Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, and www.interconti.com for Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts. Information on our newest brand, Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, is available at www.staybridge.com . The recent acquisition of Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts vaulted the company into the five-star upscale market offering a variety of first-class hotels in major markets around the world.