InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the introduction of its wellness and lifestyle brand, Even Hotels, to Greater China, with the signing of a number of management contracts.

The region’s first four Even Hotels properties will be located in Shanghai, Sanya, Chongqing and Jinan.

To celebrate the brand’s entry into Greater China, IHG’s chief executive officer, Keith Barr, hosted a signing ceremony during the 2017 Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), which is taking place at the InterContinental Hong Kong this week.

Barr said: “Around the world, we know that there is growing consumer demand for wellness-focused travel, including in Greater China, where there is a big opportunity for us to meet this need with Even Hotels. Since debuting in the US, the brand has resonated strongly with guests and owners, in what is a such a unique segment. We are delighted to continue our international expansion of Even Hotels in some key locations, and I look forward to working closely with our owners, to build on our strong track record of growing brands in Greater China.”

Even Hotels is the industry’s first and only hotel brand created with wellness at its core and since its launch in the US in 2012, it has opened in key locations, including three hotels in New York City. Outside of the US, the introduction of Even Hotels to Greater China follows the signing of Even Hotel Auckland, New Zealand, in July. The hotel is the first of Pro-Invest Group’s portfolio of Even Hotels, announced with IHG in 2016, and will mark the brand’s entry into Australia and New Zealand.

Delivering the Even Hotels wellness experience in the Shanghai Tourism Zone
IHG will bring Even Hotels to the Shanghai Tourism Zone, a major tourism project in Shanghai. Set to be completed by 2020, the hotel is anticipated to attract significant leisure demand. It will enjoy close proximity to a number of popular destinations in the city, including Disneyland and the Shanghai Wild Animal Zoo. Perfect for a family vacation, the hotel will feature 250 rooms and provide guests with a holistic wellness experience.

A personalised stay alongside spectacular views in Yalong Bay, Sanya
The opening of Even Hotel Sanya Yalong Bay in 2019 will further boost IHG’s presence in Sanya, the ‘Hawaii’ of China. Alongside the spectacular views which guests can enjoy while staying in one of the 134 hotel rooms and 92 villa rooms, the hotel also features an athletic studio, with a translucent wall to provide light and openness. The studio also has a flex room for TV/staff-led classes.

Accomplishing more with a stay at the Even Hotel Jinan South
IHG is also bringing the Even Hotels brand to Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province. Scheduled to open in 2020, the Even Hotel Jinan South is set to offer guests a distinctive and relaxing space, with 290 hotel rooms available. The rooms will be furnished with natural eucalyptus fibre, high thread count linens, naturally derived bath products and colour LED mood lighting.

An ideal choice for wellness-minded travellers in Chongqing, China
Opening in 2022, the Even Hotel Chongqing Central Park will be part of a sports-themed complex and development zone. The hotel will offer 250 rooms, and will boast a high-quality, personalised experience, and nutritionally designed menus focused on organic, fresh, fit and energising meals – available morning to night.

IHG currently operates over 300 hotels across seven brands in Greater China, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Hualuxe Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Holiday Inn Resort with a further 262 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years. - TradeArabia News Service