Between constructions and renovations, the luxury hotel brand by IHG is getting ready to open five units in Europe, Turkey, the Americas and China that will roll out gradually until 2022. A sixth and seventh address already reopened their doors this past April and June.
These new locations will integrate the brand's new design concepts. The goal of this new visual identity is to position the brand in the segment of business travelers with adapted equipment, on the one hand, and on the other to improve the quality and modernize services.
Eric Lent, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Upscale Brands IHG, explains this strategy:
From best-in-class airport hotels to city center business hubs, Crowne Plaza is revolutionizing business and leisure travel with incredible momentum. These openings are a significant step toward our goal to be the first and definitive choice for upscale hotel stays around the world.
Libby Escolme, Vice President, Crowne Plaza, commented:
IHG continues to heavily invest in and innovate our growing Crowne Plaza portfolio. Our pipeline is stronger than ever, and our six new flagships will set the standard for the future of the brand. We can’t wait to welcome business and leisure travellers around the world to experience the new face of Crowne Plaza.
Crowne Plaza Paris-République
As explained in a previous article, the property reopened its doors in June after integrating the brand's new style through over a year of renovations managed by the design studio Conran + Partners. The renovations partly concerned common areas, meaning the lobby and bar, in order to adapt the hotel to business clientele.
Emphasis was placed on technology, as Christophe Charolles, General Manager of the property, explains:
Everything is designed to meet our customers' expectations at any time of the day. Wireless chargers, USB ports, tables for 2 to 10 people, spaces with different designs. ... we see some customers move from one space to another during the day.
Crowne Plaza Hamburg - City Alster
The 290 key hotel is preparing to reopen in October to reveal its complete transformation and meet the needs of today's travelers. Thanks to the remodeling program that costs 14 million dollars, the rooms are becoming WorkLife guestrooms, meaning they integrate spaces isolated by function (work, relaxation, rest) as well as adequate equipment for improved comfort.
Seven meeting rooms 20 to 208 m² have been outfitted to offer coworking spaces by the day and rooms for evening events. Finally the lobby was rethought to make it the "heart of the hotel", according to the property's General Manager, Hannes Dreher.
Crowne Plaza London - Heathrow
Located near the leading airport in Europe, the property under renovation should welcome its guests once again at the beginning of next year. The renovation program will refresh, with the integration of the new brand design, and involve a more structural aspect with the outfitting of new meeting spaces and an upscale restaurant.
Crowne Plaza Atlanta
Re-opened in April 2019, the hotel has been renovated after nine months of renovation. The 495 rooms became WorkLife guestrooms, with three restaurants and more than 2,900 m² of meeting space, and the lobby was transformed into a Plaza Workspace. The latter consists of an adaptive space to offer meeting rooms that can be rented by the hour, based on the coworking model.
Crowne Plaza Wuzhen
Opening in the fourth quarter 2019, this hotel will be located in a suburb of Shanghai, in Wuzhen,near Hangzhou International Airport and the Wuzhen West Scenic Zone. It will have three meeting rooms, a banquet hall with a seating capacity of 260, a fitness and wellness center, as well as two dining solutions: the restaurant CAI FENG LOU and the Tong Café.
Crowne Plaza Shenzhen WECC
The hotel will be near the Shenzhen Boa'an International Airport and the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Centre. Designed for business travel and the MICE sector, it will have 5 meeting rooms and a grand ballroom dedicated to events with a capacity for 500 participants. It will be the first Crowne Plaza in Greater China applying the modern design of guestrooms and flexible space to offer an enhanced guest experience.
Crowne Plaza Ankara
Scheduled to open in 2022, the 189-room hotel will be operated under a franchise by the group Angora Birikim and will be located in the center of the Turkish capital. In keeping with the brand's new identity, it will be an "upscale property especially designed for the modern business traveler".
Crowne Plaza announces it has 427 properties worldwide for around 120,000 rooms. IHG, meanwhile, represents a total of 5,622 properties as of January 1, 2019, for a total of 837,915 rooms, according to data published by Hospitality ON.
