IHG Add avid Brand to their Range
Date: March 2018
Location: Oklahoma City, USA (first one), located at the intersection of 138th and Joel McDonald Drive.
Name: Oklahoma City – Quail Springs due to open Q3 2018
No. of Keys: 87
Buyer: Oklahoma-based Champion Hotels, the largest privately-owned hotel operator based in the USA. 188 hotels under almost all of the brands….Started in 1979 with his first 32 room motel – The Dunes Motel in Blythe VA, USA, by Champ Patel, his wife Bhanu and brother Vasant.
Champ Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Champion Hotels, added: “As a franchisee with many IHG hotels and a member of the avid hotels Owner Advisory Board, we have witnessed first-hand the speed and expertise IHG has demonstrated in developing this brand that will be efficient to build, operate and maintain while delivering a much-needed and differentiated experience for travellers in the mid-scale segment.
They (IHG) Say: We’re launching a new mid-scale hotel brand that champions everyday travel at a fair price.
When: The groundbreaking comes only two months (December 2017) after the brand was launched, well ahead of initial projected timing. Elie Maalouf is CEO of IHG in The Americas.
The hallmarks of the brand are:
The modern exterior hotel design will include an open and airy retail-like entry, a canopy, and will use the stairwell as an eye catching red architectural feature.
Inside, guests will find vibrant, open public and work areas and inviting communal spaces that allow guests to relax, work, connect or eat.
Guest rooms will include sound reducing features for a superior night’s sleep; a dedicated workspace and ample open and easy-to-use storage. The bathroom will have a fresh and bright design.
The hotel will offer a focused, high-quality, complimentary breakfast and marketplace options made for guests on the go.
The entire hotel will be equipped with IHG® Connect Wi-Fi featuring the fastest speed in the industry and the ability for loyalty members to be automatically connected for all future visits.
Since launching avid hotels, developer interest and demand continues to be strong, with more than 100 franchise applications received, including 34 which have already been converted to signed deals for avid hotels locations across the U.S.
Additionally, avid hotels is now franchise-ready in Canada. The royalty fee for the brand will be five percent, with the first 100 signed license agreements will be eligible for a two percent fee discount in year one and one percent fee discount in year two (2/1 royalty fee reduction).
THPT Comment: IHG have 13 brands against Marriott (now including Starwood) 30 brands and Hilton’s 13…at what point does one say – you have too many brands?
First Seen: IHG Website avid Brand Book available from their website