Intercontinental New York Barclay Undergoes Extensive Renovation

ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, today announces that the InterContinental New York Barclay is now closed to commence the $175 million renovation, which was announced on 19 December 2013.  The hotel recently checked out its last guest in preparation for the 18-month refurbishment, which will revitalize the landmark property into the Midtown East luxury hotel of choice for elite travelers.

"We are delighted to work with our partners, Constellation Barclay Holding US LLC, to manage the extensive renovation of our classic New York hotel," said Herve Houdre, regional director of operations and general manager of the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel.  "The result will be the rebirth of a luxury hotel that reflects its elegance and architectural grandeur, as well as the classic taste and style of its sophisticated, international neighborhood."

First opened in 1926, the hotel is located right in the heart of Manhattan and a short walk from Park Avenue, Madison Avenue and the United Nations building. The iconic InterContinental New York Barclay has been the hotel of choice, and sometimes residence, for politicians, cultural influencers and other prominent figures throughout the decades, including U.S. presidents, author Ernest Hemingway, ambassador and renowned hostess Perle Mesta, and civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  

The hotel's new design ‒ developed with the assistance of architecture firm Stonehill + Taylor and interior designers HOK (formerly BBGM) ‒ will completely revitalize the Federalist-style property, maintaining its heritage, while updating it to cater to the needs of today's discerning international traveler. The design will reflect the distinctive culture of its location, while offering the luxury and consistency that InterContinental guests worldwide expect from their preferred brand. On completion, the property will feature approximately 700 guestrooms, a new InterContinental^® Club Lounge and a fully refurbished lobby with a new Gin bar and restaurant. The hotel also will continue to serve as an outstanding venue for memorable corporate meetings through the InterContinental® Meetings platform, as well as for social events in either of the two elegant ballrooms. The enhanced hotel experience will be brought to life by the hotel's world-class employees and concierge team who offer intuitive service and expert "Insider Knowledge" of the city.  

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is IHG's luxury brand, which has grown to be more than twice the size of any other luxury brand globally. IHG remains focused on further strengthening its presence in top-tier cities and resorts around the globe, having recently signed two new flagship properties, the InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles and InterContinental Lisbon.

Notes to Editors:

About IHG
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 80 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,700 hotels and 693,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries, with almost 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

About InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has 180 hotels located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 68 years of experience. As a brand, we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-traveled guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge, so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook. For more information, visit http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental, https://twitter.com/InterConHotels or http://www.facebook.com/intercontinental.

InterContinental New York Barclay
Built in 1926 neo-Federal style, the classic, contemporary InterContinental New York Barclay welcomes guests with a heightened level of personalized service, residential warmth and luxury, and a vigorous Sustainable Hospitality program. The 100% wind energy-powered Barclay is located off fashionable Park Avenue in the heart of midtown Manhattan's east side near the city's most exclusive Fifth Avenue shopping, dining, Broadway theaters, museums, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Central Park and the United Nations headquarters.   The Barclay is the hotel of choice for the world's business, diplomatic, cultural and social circles.  The InterContinental New York Barclay is committed to its legacy as a hotel industry leader in Responsible Business practices.  Stay tuned as we enhance our efforts toward supporting a more sustainable world. InterContinental New York Barclay, 111 East 48th Street, New York, NY  10017 Tel. (212) 755-5900. Facebook: NYBarclayHotel ; Twitter: @NYBarclayHotel ; Blog: NYBarclayBuzz ; Pinterest: NYBarclayHotel

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SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts