Hotel Indigo®, IHG's upscale boutique brand, will pass the 50thproperty milestone with the opening of two hotels in London and New Orleans, two cities renowned for their rich history and culture, making them important markets for boutique hotels.

Hotel Indigo, the world's first global boutique hotel brand, has grown rapidly since its launch in 2004, and the openings of Hotel Indigo London Kensington-Earl's Court and Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District mark a major expansion milestone for the brand. With the addition of these two properties, the brand has opened a total of 14 hotels around the world in 2012, adding seven new properties in the Americas, five in Europe and two in Greater China.

"We are thrilled about the opening of these two new Hotel Indigo properties and are equally proud to have reached such an important milestone that communicates a strong message to the development community about the success and global viability of the Hotel Indigo brand," said Janis Cannon, IHG's Vice President, Global Brand Leadership Marketing, Hotel Indigo. "Following a milestone year in Europe in 2012, we will continue to expand the brand's footprint strategically, whilst growing strongly in California and Mexico. "

The Hotel Indigo brand continues to be a strong growth vehicle for IHG with its strategy focused on growing top-tier priority markets and gateway cities. With a quality global pipeline of 51 hotels, the Hotel Indigo estate is set to double in size to 100 properties within the next three to five years. Hotel Indigo properties are planned in key cities including Hong Kong, which will open in early 2013, Tel Aviv, St. Petersburg, Bangkok, Riyadh, Madrid, Jakarta, Lisbon, Barcelona, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York City.

Hotel Indigo offers guests a unique experience reflective of the local neighbourhood with the modern design and intimate service associated with boutique hotels, along with the consistency from staying with one of the world's largest hotel groups. Carefully crafted to meet the desires of today's traveller, each Hotel Indigo hotel is designed to reflect the culture, character and history of the hotel's surrounding area.

Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl's Court

Hotel Indigo Kensington-Earl's Court is located in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The hotel design reflects the quaint locale and reanimates the stately Victorian manor that the building once was. Many of the 100 guest rooms overlook classic English gardens and the artwork captures the building's original staircases and stained glass windows.

The hotel's location affords easy access to some of London's most famous tourist attractions including the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History and Science Museums and royal residence Kensington Palace and is just a stone's throw away from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, two of London's most idyllic and historic parks.

Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District

Sheltered by a canopy of live oaks that line the nearby streets, Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District is painted with the vibrancy and history of one of New Orleans's most historical neighbourhoods. The hotel's design features murals displaying decorative ironwork, louvred shutters and the roots of an old live oak, with vibrant accents of purple, tangerine, teal and lime.

Situated along the St. Charles Street Car line, the hotel is close to the renowned French Quarter, as well as the campuses of Tulane and Loyola Universities. Steeped in the history of mid-19th Century Victorian homes and the manicured English-style gardens, the 132-room hotel embraces an elegant mix of modish and classic French-style furniture.

Neighbourhood Guides

To make Hotel Indigo destinations easier to explore, the brand has just launched interactive, online 'Neighbourhood Guides'. Each Neighbourhood Guide features a collection of hyper-local recommendations of things to see, do, taste, drink, hear and buy in the hotel's locale. Visit www.hotelindigo.com/neighbourhoodguides to explore the environs of each Hotel Indigo.

Hotel Indigo guests are well-travelled with an eye for design and seek out unique hotel experiences. The brand's success at delivering a brand concept that meets guests' needs is supported by a number of award wins this year including Best Boutique Hotel in Asia-Pacific for Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund from Business Traveller Asia-Pacific and a Cond
é Nast 2012 Readers' Choice Award for Hotel Indigo San Diego Gaslamp Quarter.

About IHG®

IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

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