Pro-invest Group is set to simultaneously develop a second Holiday Inn Express hotel in Melbourne, building a property on Little Collins Street at the same time as a new project is constructed in Southbank.

Announced today (10 May), Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins is set to open in 2020 and feature 299 rooms.

“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,” said Pro-invest Group CEO, Ron Barrott.

“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,” he said.

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.

“Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins is a win for both the savvy traveller and the city of Melbourne,” said InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Head of Development for Australasia, Matthew Tripolone.

“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,” he said

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 in Sydney.

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.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management