MIAMI | IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), (LSE:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) (ADRs), the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced that it has signed an agreement to open the 11-story, 76-room Holiday Inn Express Bogota in Colombia. This is the second IHG property in the capital city of Bogota, joining the renowned Crowne Plaza Tequendama Bogota. It also marks IHG’s fifth hotel in Colombia, joining the InterContinental Cali, the InterContinental Medellin and the Holiday Inn Express Medellin.

The new Holiday Inn Express Bogota will open first quarter of 2009 within the capital city’s newest business tower and hotel center, the OXO Center Bogota. Located in the vibrant neighborhood of “Parque de la 93,” the Holiday Inn Express will be surrounded by shops, restaurants and a variety of other entertainment venues. It will be a 25 minute drive from the airport, at Calle 94, Carrera 11A, OXO Center, Bogotá, and will feature a variety of amenities, including a fully equipped business center and a fitness room.

The hotel’s newly enhanced complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar will feature a range of breakfast items including an array of hot dishes, an assortment of breads, yogurt, fruit, coffee, tea, milk and juices. The SimplySmart™ shower incorporates a showerhead with a signature shower curtain with a curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of scented bath products. And, guests will enjoy the SimplySmart™ 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.

“Colombia has a vital and bustling economy, and the city of Bogota is a major commerce thoroughfare for global companies conducting business in Latin America, so it makes perfect sense to have a Holiday Inn Express in this dynamic city and in this new business epicenter,” said Alvaro Diago, Area President of IHG, Latin America. “Holiday Inn Express is a smart, contemporary brand that offers the comfort and practicality that both business and leisure travelers are looking for today.”

The property will showcase the brand’s new sign, which is the seal of approval that this hotel exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program was established to create a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and drive consistency across the global portfolio. The program focuses on arrival and welcome, guestroom and guest bath comfort. The global estate of more than 3,200 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties is expected to be relaunched by the end of 2010.

The hotel will be owned and managed by Grupo Contempo S.A., under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

“We are excited to be partnering with IHG to introduce the Holiday Inn Express brand to Bogota. This smart brand attracts the precise demographic we are seeking for the OXO Center. In this diverse destination, we’re certain business and leisure travelers will find a wide array of amazing activities they can enjoy,” said Andrea Torres of Grupo Contempo, S.A.

Bogota is not only the capital of Colombia, but it is also the largest metropolitan city in the country. Bogota boasts soaring skyscrapers, beautiful cathedrals, major universities, grand theaters and an array of entertainment and nightlife venues. Founded in 1538, Bogota has become one of Latin America’s most aggressive business economies. Colombia’s most profitable exporting goods include coffee, petroleum and petroleum products, fruits, flowers, iron and steel, textile and apparels. Rich in minerals, Colombia is the world's largest producer of emeralds and one of South America's largest producers of gold. Bogota is a truly vibrant city with elegant port towns cut by cobblestone roads often compared to the looks of many European cities.

Holiday Inn Express participates in IHG’s guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry’s first and largest guest loyalty program has more than 40 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at www.priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG’s more than 4,100 hotels worldwide.

The Holiday Inn Express portfolio includes 15 hotels in Latin America. In 2007, IHG opened a Holiday Inn Express in Medellin, Colombia and the Holiday Inn Express Natal in Brazil. In September of this year, the Holiday Inn Express Quito in Ecuador opened, and just last month the Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport opened in San Jose, Costa Rica. Holiday Inn Express properties are located in major cities like Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Curitiba, Brazil; with six others in Chile. In the first quarter of 2009, the Holiday Inn Express San Pedro Sula, in Honduras, is also expected to open. IHG will be adding another Holiday Inn Express in Colombia in the city of Cartagena, slated to open in 2010.

Focused on growing its portfolio of brands throughout the region, IHG today has more than 170 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for more than 60 years. IHG has properties situated in nearly every key market throughout Latin America.

About Holiday Inn Express

Holiday Inn Express is the modern hotel for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart® at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start® Breakfast Bar, free high-speed internet access and free local phone calls (US only). There are currently more than 1,800 Holiday Inn Express locations around the globe. For more information about Holiday Inn Express or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit .

Veronica Villegas
Kreps/DeMaria
305/663-3543
IHG