The FINANCIAL — Hotel Indigo – the boutique brand from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) – is to launch its first property in Wales.
The 92-bedroom Hotel Indigo Queen Street Cardiff will become the fifth Hotel Indigo to be managed by Sanguine Hospitality. Properties are already open in Liverpool and Birmingham, with Hotel Indigo in Newcastle opening on 1 June. Planning permission has also been obtained for a Hotel Indigo in Manchester.
Being developed in what is currently a office building called Dominion's House on the pedestrianised Queen Street, the hotel will benefit from its location close to the Millennium Stadium and the regenerated harbour area.
According to Caterer and Hotelkeeper, with each Hotel Indigo designed to reflect the character and history of its location, the Cardiff property will be inspired by the area's Victorian heritage, with nearby Cardiff Castle, Bute Park and Park House all having an impact on the hotel's interior design.
Robert Shepherd, IHG's senior vice-president for development and design in Europe, said the secret to the success of Hotel Indigo was that it offered guests the individuality of a boutique hotel with the reassurance and reliability of a big hotel brand.
"Hotel Indigo is also popular with developers. Our flexible approach to design makes it ideal for conversion properties, which are cheaper and easier to finance than new-builds and can be up and running in a shorter period of time. Hotel Indigo Queen Street Cardiff will be a conversion from an existing office building."
Robin Wicks, chief executive of Sanguine Hospitality, said that Cardiff was an ideal location for a Hotel Indigo. "There are very few boutique hotels in the market and we're confident Hotel Indigo Queen Street Cardiff will attract domestic and international guests who want to experience the local area," he explained.
Launched in 2004, Hotel Indigo now has 44 properties worldwide and 53 in the pipeline. There are currently seven in Europe, with a further 10 planned for the next three to five years.
Discussion about this post