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IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), whose roots in the Colombian hotel market stretch almost six decades, announced the opening of the Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros in Cartagena, Colombia. It is IHG’s seventh property in the country, across four brands – InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts and Holiday Inn Express.
The new-build, 14-story Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros features 140 rooms and it is located in the northern section of the city, less than three miles (approx. 4 km) from the Rafael Nunez International Airport and about five miles (approx. 7 km) from the Old City of Cartagena. The full-service property is nestled within Los Morros, a luxury residential complex and one of the most upscale portions of Cartagena. Featuring a fresh and stylish decor, the Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros is owned by Sundacer S.A.S., a division of Cartagena-based Conceptos Urbanos S.A., a respected real estate development firm in Colombia under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group
“We are thrilled to continue the momentum of the Holiday Inn relaunch by introducing our new sign and hallmarks to the Cartagena market in Colombia,” said Alvaro Diago, chief operating officer, IHG Latin America and the Caribbean. “This hotel offers guests a place where they can feel confident that they’re going to experience great service in an up-to-date and contemporary hotel.”
“We are very excited to open this Holiday Inn in Cartagena. With a convenient location for business travelers arriving at the Rafael Nunez International Airport and leisure travelers visiting the beautiful city of Cartagena, visitors can expect an enjoyable guest experience with great service and comfort,” said Jose A. Villegas, a spokesperson for Sundacer S.A.S.
The Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros features an array of amenities, including five conference rooms and two boardrooms totalling 4,000 square feet (372 square meters). The hotel also boasts a business center, fitness center and swimming pool. Blue Lounge is the hotel’s full-service restaurant, featuring exquisite cuisine from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean in a warm and refined atmosphere.
The new hotel includes features in keeping with the $1 billion Holiday Inn relaunch, the biggest ever project of its kind in the history of the hospitality industry. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program creates a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The program focuses on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.
Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations feature comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, cable television, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” The bathrooms include a specially designed showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities. Guestrooms provide a work desk with an ergonomic chair, and data ports. Complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access is also available throughout the hotel.
“Development in Cartagena is important in expanding our Holiday Inn consumer base and growing an even stronger presence across Colombia,” said Ricardo Lopez, vice president, sales & marketing, IHG, Latin America and Caribbean. “Holiday Inn hotels are designed to be the smart choice for business and leisure travelers, and we are confident the Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros is a perfect fit for this well-traveled market with a thriving tourism industry.”
Located on the northern coast of Colombia, Cartagena, one of the oldest cities in the Americas, was founded by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia in 1533. It is Colombia’s fifth-largest urban area with a population of more than 1.2 million, and a key financial hub and tourist destination. Its unique old world charm and modern infrastructure center has made Cartagena one of Colombia’s most successful cities.
IHG has currently six hotels in Colombia: two InterContinental Hotels, one Crowne Plaza, one Holiday Inn and two Holiday Inn Express properties. One additional IHG-branded property, the InterContinental Cartagena, is currently under development and slated to open in 2013.
Noted as the largest hotel company in Latin America by a recent Latin Trade Magazine study, IHG has almost 200 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for 65 years. IHG has hotels situated in nearly every key market throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Holiday Inn hotels participate in IHG’s guest loyalty program, Priority Club Rewards, the industry’s first and largest guest loyalty program with almost 60 million members.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
