Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York Opens in the Heart of Manhattan's Financial District

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG] announces the opening of the Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York, serving both business and leisure travelers visiting New York City's vibrant financial district. The Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York is part of an overall IHG effort to best meet the needs of visitors to the financial capital of the world.

"Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travelers," said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, The Americas, IHG. "With more than 2,000 properties worldwide and nearly 600 properties in the pipeline, the Holiday Inn Express portfolio continues to expand in markets like New York City's financial district, providing our guests with an enhanced-stay experience at a great value. We welcome this hotel into the Holiday Inn family with the brand new sign and everything it represents."

The Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York is among the first Holiday Inn hotels to open in the downtown New York City area with the brand's new signage, which is the seal of approval that they exemplify the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the Holiday Inn global brand relaunch was established to create a more contemporary brand image – improving quality and driving consistency across the global portfolio. The global estate of more than 3,300 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties are expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010, and more than 2,500 hotels have already been relaunched to date.

The relaunch focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests - a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night's sleep. Relaunched hotels such as the Holiday Inn Express Wall Street feature:

- Upgraded and decluttered lobby areas
- A Holiday Inn Express signature scent and sound
- New exterior lighting
- New signage with the redesigned logo
- All Holiday Inn employees also go through an extensive "Stay Real" training program to ensure guests receive the level of service they expect.

Located at 124-126 Water St. at the corner of Water Street and Wall Street, the new Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York is at a prime location for both business and leisure travelers. It is just two blocks from the New York Stock Exchange and three blocks from the Federal Reserve Bank. For leisure travelers the hotel is close to popular attractions such as the South Street Seaport, Battery Park and the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Guests at the 26-story Holiday Inn Express Wall Street, with 112 units, will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure. The hotel features special in-room amenities such as free high-speed Internet access and 32" flat-panel HDTV's. Additionally, there is wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, a business center, a meeting room and great room, and a fitness center. The SimplySmart™ shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart™ Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100-percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products. Guests will also enjoy the SimplySmartTM bedding collection where they will find new, crisp fresh bedding which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.

"We are proud the new Holiday Inn Express Wall Street can showcase the brand's new sign which represents changes that ensure our guests will experience fantastic service, with a fresh look, and brand new amenities throughout the hotel," said owner Sam Chang of the McSam Hotel Group.

The Holiday Inn Express Wall Street New York is owned by the McSam Hotel Group under a licensing agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.