IHG EXPANDS INTO REGIONAL AUSTRALIA: IHG Hotels & Resorts is expanding its presence into regional Australia and has signed voco’s inaugural hotel in the Sunshine Coast. IHG is building on its partnership with Sydney-based developer Felix Capital to open voco Maroochydore Sunshine Coast. Slated to open in 2028, the 153-key upscale hotel will be located on Ocean Street and be a part of a mixed-use development. The hotel will have wellness-focuses public areas, including a podium-level outdoor pool, spa and sauna, a 140-seat specialty restaurant, a 130-seat all-day dining restaurant, a 65-seat lobby bar and 510 square meters of event space. The mixed-use development will also offer nine luxury residences, which will occupy two levels above the hotel and will operate independently from the hotel.
GRAND MERCURE OPENS IN CHINA: Grand Mercure, the upscale hotel brand by Accor, has added a location in China with the opening of Grand Mercure Hangzhou Qingshan Lake. Situated next to the Qingshan Lake, the hotel is surrounded by mountains and open wilderness. The hotel has panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows in all its 177 rooms, which offer views of the lake and mountains. The hotel offers several restaurants, bars, lounges, an executive lounge, a fitness center and 4,000 square meters of meeting space. Grand Mercure currently has more than 70 hotels and resorts across 14 countries.
IHG WIDENS FOOTPRINT IN INDIA: IHG Hotels & Resorts is expanding its presence in India and has signed a management agreement with Peachery LLP to open Holiday Inn Ujjain. Slated to open in 2028 in the Hindu pilgrimage city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, the new-build hotel is part of IHG’s focus to grow its footprint in secondary markets in the country. The hotel will have 100 rooms, including 10 suites, a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining restaurant, a lounge bar, pool, fitness center, five meeting venues and a banquet hall.
IHCL TO MANAGE NEW DELHI’S THE CLARIDGES: The Indian Hotels Co. has announced its partnership to expand the Claridges brand and has inked a management agreement for The Claridges, New Delhi from April 2025. The iconic hotel originally opened in 1955 and blends old-world charm with modern aesthetics. The hotel features 119 rooms, nine dining venues, an outdoor pool, a spa, boardroom and a 3,400-square-feet banquet hall that can accommodate 300 guests.
