IHG has returned to Australia’s Northern Territory with the rebranding of one of the biggest hotels in Alice Springs.
The hotel group has penned a franchise agreement for the Lasseters Hotel Alice Springs. The property will reopen as Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters in December 2016, before embarking on a major refurbishment.
The signing marks not only IHG’s reappearance in NT, but also the return of the Crowne Plaza brand to Alice Springs – the town in Australia’s “Red Centre”.
Located adjacent to a convention centre and casino, Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters offers 205 rooms, a pool, spa, fitness centre and restaurant.
“In a string of very exciting announcements for IHG this year, we are delighted to be announcing this new signing, and our arrival back into the NT. We have been working hard to find the right location and the right partner for a signing in Alice Springs, and truly believe we have found both with Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters,” said Karin Sheppard, IHG’s chief operating officer for Australasia & Japan.
The owners of the hotel, Lasseters International Holdings, will commence a AU$5 million (US$3.7m) refurbishment of the property in 2017, which will bring the guest rooms into line with Crowne Plaza’s standards.
IHG currently has 26 hotels in Australia under four brands in Australia, including 11 Crowne Plazas. Crowne Plaza won’t be the first international brand in Alice Springs however; AccorHotels and Hilton already operate their ibis and DoubleTree brands in the town, while Best Western also has a franchised hotel.
Following the opening of the Alice Springs hotel, IHG will launch new Crowne Plaza properties in Sydney and Hobart in future.
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