Hotel Indigo expands in the UK

IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group) has announced plans to open two new Hotel Indigo properties in the UK. The hotels are planned for Liverpool and Glasgow.

Liverpool’s Hotel Indigo will open in spring 2011, and will bring 151 new rooms to the city centre. The Glasgow Hotel Indigo property will provide 96 rooms, and is scheduled to open towards the middle of next year.

Hotel Indigo is IHG’s latest brand hotel venture. With 27 properties already operational in North America, the group is planning a global expansion, with 59 new properties set to open at various locations in the world.

Hotel Indigo made its UK debut in January this year, with the opening of its property in London Paddington. Additional properties are also being planned for Philpot Lane, Cannon Street and Kensington Church Street.

The Glasgow Hotel Indigo will be housed in a converted bank building, a strategy that is often used by the Hotel Indigo brand. Brand managers say this is because Hotel Indigo standards do not limit room numbers or sizes at each property, a fact that gives the brand considerable leeway when screening conversion opportunties.

The first hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in 2004, and the brand has since enjoyed considerable success in North America.

Future expansion plans include Hotel Indigo properties in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Shanghai’s 180-room Hotel Indigo is being scheduled for opening ahead of the Shanghai Expo in 2010.