InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has announced that avid hotels, its new high-quality midscale brand, is now available for franchising in Mexico.

The launch of the brand in Mexico closely follows the introduction of avid hotels in the US and Canada last fall, where the company has already signed 75 franchise agreements. This milestone further demonstrates the brand’s rapid start and growth potential.

Jorge Apaez, chief operating officer, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, IHG, said: “On the heels of IHG’s successful introduction of Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites in Mexico, launching avid hotels reinforces IHG’s leadership position in this market. The company currently has 140 hotels open in Mexico and an additional 31 in the pipeline, and with the launch of avid hotels, IHG is further demonstrating its commitment to continued growth in Mexico alongside our franchisees.”  

Extensive research went into the development of avid hotels, and as a result, the brand has been thoughtfully designed for travellers who want a hotel stay that meets their expectations for the type of hospitality they value most – the basics done exceptionally well – at a price point expected to be about 10-15 per cent less than IHG’s industry-leading Holiday Inn Express brand.

Brand features include:  

The modern exterior hotel design includes an open and airy retail-like entry, a canopy and uses the stairwell as an eye catching red architectural feature. On the inside, guests will find vibrant, open public and work areas and inviting communal spaces that allow guests to relax, work, connect or eat. Hotels will offer a complimentary grab-and-go breakfast and marketplace options for guests on the go.

Guest rooms are constructed with sound reducing features for a superior night’s sleep, and the bathroom experience re-energizes guests with a fresh and bright design. Each guest room will also offer a dedicated workspace and ample open, easy-to-use storage, as well as innovative in-room entertainment options that allow guests to cast content from their smart devices to in-room televisions.

Hotels 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. Hotels will also leverage IHG’s state-of-the-art, cloud-based next generation reservation system, and guests will benefit from the power of IHG® Rewards Club at avid hotels.

The avid hotels logo features the brand’s colors of confident red and refreshing aqua and a signature checkmark, which was designed to act as a stamp of assurance that avid hotels will deliver an unrivaled experience. This brand is the first to launch using IHG’s master brand mark – An IHG Hotel – in communications and building signage, underlining its strength as part of one of the world’s leading hotel companies.
 
German Ongay, regional vice president, Franchise Sales and Development, Mexico IHG, added: “Since IHG announced this new brand last fall, we have heard from many franchisees across Mexico who are excited to add an avid hotels property to their portfolio. IHG has a trusted record of delivering what our guests want, and there is no doubt that the avid hotels brand will provide a superb guest experience at a great value. We are excited to introduce this new brand to the Mexican market.”

In addition to creating the brand to meet guests’ needs, its design and operating model was developed in collaboration with an owner advisory board, ensuring that avid hotels are efficient to build, operate and maintain. All avid hotels will be designed for new build construction on an average lot size of approximately 6,400-sq-m and will be built with an environmentally friendly and efficient design. The first avid hotels property, located in Oklahoma, began construction just eight weeks after the brand was launched in the US and is anticipated to open in Q3 2018, months ahead of original projections.

The franchise fee for the brand will be five per cent of gross rooms revenue, and all avid hotels franchise agreements for Mexico executed before September 30, 2018, will be eligible for a two-point franchise fee discount in year one and a one-point franchise fee discount in year two. This incentive can only be earned if the hotel opens by September 30, 2020, the company said. - TradeArabia News Service