ATLANTA—IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced plans for a 100-room new-build Hotel Indigo in Athens, Ga. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2007, with an expected opening date of spring 2009. The four-story new-build property will be owned by Rialto Property Partners, LLC, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group, and will be managed by IHG’s Americas operations division, The Hotel Management Group. Rialto will pursue LEED certification for the new hotel.
“We are excited to be expanding the Hotel Indigo brand to Athens,” says Jim Anhut, senior vice president, brand management, Hotel Indigo. “Our intention with Hotel Indigo is to bring the boutique product to a larger audience, while still providing the conveniences of a branded hotel, and we’re certain that travelers to Athens will enjoy the unique and inviting environment they’ll experience at this property.”
The hotel will be located at 500 College Ave., within walking distance to the Classic Center, the University of Georgia (UGA) Campus and Sanford Stadium. Hotel guests will also be within close proximity to boutique shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Works from local artists will be displayed on-site, and a music venue within the hotel will host local musicians. A future competition is planned for graphic design students in UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art to design an Athens music-themed mural for an exterior wall of the hotel.
Rialto Property Partners is committed to building Hotel Indigo Athens in an environmentally responsible way and will work to achieve LEED (Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The prestigious LEED certification promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
Planned With Athens in Mind
“Hotel Indigo is a hotel experience like no other, as far as design, comfort and services,” says Barry Rutherford of Rialto Property Partners. “We are very excited to introduce such a unique concept that will address the needs of the sophisticated traveler to Athens. We are also looking forward to incorporating in our hotel the distinctive attributes of a city that is considered by many to be at the center of modern musical innovation.”
Hotel Indigo artfully combines the conveniences and consistencies of a brand hotel with the design cache and service personality of a boutique. The soul of the brand’s retail-inspired concept is renewal—thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh, similar to the way retailers change their window displays. The renewal concept provides even the most frequent guest a unique experience with every stay. The hotel will feature renewable elements such as vivid murals, area rugs, plush duvets and slip covers that will change periodically. Public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing artwork, music, flora, murals and directional signage.
The Hotel Indigo brand is quickly expanding throughout North America, with nine locations open and more than 50 in the pipeline. The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004, followed by Hotel Indigo Chicago Gold Coast; Chicago Schaumburg North; Houston at the Galleria; Hotel Indigo Dallas; Ottawa Downtown City Centre, Canada; Hotel Indigo Scottsdale, Ariz.; Hotel Indigo Sarasota, Fla; and Hotel Indigo Buffalo-Amherst, N.Y. Future sites of Hotel Indigo hotels include Baltimore, Md.; Boston; San Antonio, Texas; Las Vegas; New York; St. Louis; and Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn.
Go to Hotel Indigo.
