IHG launches its boutique hotel chain in Asia Pacific region

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) is set to launch the first of its boutique hotel chain Indigo in the Asia Pacific region.

Peter Gowers, chief executive of Asia Pacific at IHG, yesterday signed a management contract on a hotel in Shanghai, China, with asset management company Shanghai Huangpu River Banks Group.

The 180-room hotel will be located on the riverfront Bund and is scheduled to open in 2010, in preparation for the Shanghai World Expo.

The area around the hotel is also being developed into a commercial, retail, restaurant and entertainment district called the Pier 16th Development, also owned by the Shanghai Huangpu River Banks Asset management company.

Gowers said: "This is a landmark deal and we are delighted to have such a respected partner. Hotel Indigo Shangai will meet the needs to the next generation of customers who demand a stylish individual hotel that is authentic and unpretentious."

Although Indigo is essentially a chain, IHG says the hotels will all have their own individuality, based on the location of each site.

IHG has 19 Indigo hotels already open and more than 56 in the pipeline. The first UK Indigo is set to open in Paddington in December this year, with key cities such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo to follow.

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See Gemma Sharkey’s China diary >>

By Gemma Sharkey, reporting from China

E-mail your comments to Gemma Sharkey here.

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