Holiday Inn Express Unveils Prototype Hotel

Holiday Inn Express, already the fastest-growing hotel brand in its segment, announced at the Bass Hotels & Resorts Global Investors Conference that it has achieved another milestone in its short 10 year history. The new Holiday Inn Express prototype hotel has been introduced. Earmarking a new future in the limited service hotel sector, Holiday Inn Express has 50 prototype hotels currently under development in the U.S.

Holiday Inn Express prototypes have recently opened in Anniston/Oxford, Demopolis, Ala.; Corbin, Shelbyville, Ky.; Ruston, La.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Brevard, N.C.; Eagle Pass, Tyler, Plano, Grapevine, Houston-Kingswood, Livingston, Texas; Ft. Atkinson, Milwaukee, Wis.

The Holiday Inn Express prototype was developed after extensive research with consumers, owners, and industry experts. The result is a hotel that features three fundamental design concepts -- cleanliness, timelessness and cost-efficiency -- to ensure optimal use of space, ease of maintenance and a higher return on investment for owners. These distinctions ensure customer loyalty and longevity of the brand.

Set among lush landscaped gardens, each hotel captures a unique residential experience. The Express prototype continues to feature many of its trademarks including the "Great Room" -- now redesigned as one big, open area adjacent to the lobby with French doors enabling the room to double as meeting space. All the public areas have been designed to create an optimal feeling of spaciousness and efficiency.

State-of-the-art technology played an important role in the redesign of the hotel and now incorporate computer outlets and high-speed modem connections in all key public areas and guestrooms.

Guestrooms and bathrooms have been designed to maximize space. Rooms now feature fewer vertical surfaces which allow the hotels the ability to maintain consistently high levels of cleanliness.

Holiday Inn Express continues to lead the way in the limited service hotel sector with an impressive performance and a growing list of industry and consumer awards. In 1999, Holiday Inn Express grew revenue per available room (RevPAR) at triple the rate of its competition. It has opened its 1,000th property worldwide and reported a record one billion dollars in sales for that fiscal year. Earlier this year, Holiday Inn Express was named the top hotel brand in its segment for 1999 according to Business Travel News, a leading hotel industry publication. Last month, the brand captured a silver EFFIE for its Stay Smart® advertising campaign, marking the second consecutive EFFIE the campaign has won. The national EFFIEs are the only major awards to recognize the results of advertising campaigns -- the most effective advertising.

Holiday Inn Express is the modern hotel for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart® at Holiday Inn Express where they enjoy a free breakfast bar (featuring fresh fruit, cereal and pastries), free local phone calls (US only) and the ability to earn Priority Club® points that can be redeemed for great merchandise, airline miles or free stays in more than 2,800 hotels. There are currently more than 1,000 Holiday Inn Express locations around the globe.