The Holiday Inn Express brand takes another leap forward in Australia today, with IHG® and partner Pro-invest announcing plans to open Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins in 2020.

The select service hotel will add 299 rooms to Melbourne’s boutique Little Collins Street. Running parallel to prominent and iconic Collins Street, the area is home to major retailers, boutique designers and corporate offices, as well as being a stone’s throw from Southern Cross station and tram stops, making it perfect for business and leisure travellers alike.

Ron Barrott, Chief Executive Officer at Pro-invest Group: commented, “We’ve been thrilled by the enthusiasm for select service hotels in Australasia and it’s truly exciting to have signed our seventh Holiday Inn Express hotel, and the second in Melbourne. This milestone reaffirms the great partnership we have with IHG, and the brand’s unique ability to provide guests with the service and experience they require. Melbourne continues to experience significant demand so it’s a great time to be opening a new hotel”.

Matthew Tripolone, Head of Development, Australasia at IHG added, “Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins is a win for both the savvy traveller and the city of Melbourne. The ‘rest and go’ brand appeals to people seeking a place to rest, recharge and get on their way, giving travellers everything they need, plus that bit more where it matters most. As the world’s fastest growing hotel brand, Holiday Inn Express has helped us to build IHG’s strongest development pipeline in a decade. It certainly gives us another big advantage in the select service space”.

The hotel will feature a fitness centre, meeting and laundry facilities, and the ‘Great Room’ with a complimentary guest breakfast buffet and a grab-and-go-style market pantry, along with great city views, frictionless service, faster check-in, restful night’s sleep, and everything guests need for a great stay.

The signing comes shortly after the unveiling of Holiday Inn Express Brisbane, which officially opened its doors in April 2017, making it the second Holiday Inn Express to open after Macquarie Park. IHG and Pro-invest have already announced Holiday Inn Express signings in Adelaide, Newcastle, Melbourne Southbank and Queenstown, all of which will open within the next three years.

There are currently 2,497 Holiday Inn Express hotels (more than 247,000 rooms) open across the globe. 34 of these are in the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA*) region, growing to 69 hotels in the next five years.

IHG currently has 26 hotels operating under four brands in Australia: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.