UK-based IHG Hotels & Resorts is strengthening its presence in Asia by expanding its mid-priced hotel chain Holiday Inn Express in growth markets across India and Thailand.
As part of this expansion, the company has signed a management agreement with Hulkul Hotels to develop a new Holiday Inn Express in Bengaluru, India.
Set to open in the first quarter of 2026, Holiday Inn Express Bengaluru Lalbagh Road is part of IHG's expansion in India's growth markets to cater to business and leisure travellers.
IHG Hotels & Resorts Southwest Asia managing director Sudeep Jain said: “With this latest signing, the Holiday Inn Express brand portfolio now has five hotels in the city, testament to the brand's strategic growth and responsiveness to the sustained demand for modern accommodation.”
The upcoming Holiday Inn Express Bengaluru Lalbagh Road will offer 100 rooms, an all-day dining facility, fitness and business centres, parking, and a meeting room.
Hulkul Hotels spokesperson Sudeep Sathyanarayana said: “We are pleased to collaborate with IHG Hotels & Resorts to bring Holiday Inn Express to Lalbagh Road, Bengaluru. With IHG’s global expertise and our local market knowledge, we aim to create a world-class hospitality destination that meets the needs of modern travellers.”
IHG's portfolio in India currently comprises 46 hotels across five brands, with an additional 58 hotels slated to open in the next three to five years.
Besides Holiday Inn Express, the brands include Crowne Plaza, voco Hotels, Holiday Inn Resort, Six Senses, and InterContinental Hotels and Resorts.
In a related development, IHG has also announced a partnership with real estate developer Park Avenue Property Company to launch its first property in Hat Yai, Thailand.
Scheduled to open in 2027, the Holiday Inn Express Hat Yai will be a 160-room facility and the first internationally branded hotel in the region.
Located 25 minutes from Hat Yai International Airport and ten minutes from the city centre, Holiday Inn Express Hat Yai will feature amenities such as a round-the-clock Express Café & Bar, a fitness centre, and dedicated meeting spaces.
Park Avenue Property Company managing director Prawit Phongprapat said: “Holiday Inn Express Hat Yai is our first venture into the hotel segment, and we are excited to work with the IHG team and confident that together we will create a market-leading midscale hotel that will be enjoyed by business and leisure travellers.”
In December 2024, IHG announced a new Holiday Inn Express hotel development in Ayodhya, India. The hotel is expected to welcome guests by mid-2028.
