The IHG group is continuing its expansion in Portugal. Having recently added a number of fine hotels to its portfolio, including the luxurious Vignette Collection hotels, the Casa da Companhia in Porto and the Convent Square in Lisbon, which revisits a former Dominican convent dating back to the 13th century.e Now in its twentieth century, the group has around twenty hotels in the country. And almost twice as soon with regard to the projects announced.
Its lifestyle brand Hotel Indigo, for example, will open two leisure hotels, one in Albufeira in mid-2025 and the other in Faro at the end of the following year. However, while the IHG group is placing particular emphasis on developing its luxury and lifestyle brands, it is also looking to expand its portfolio of hotels, the flagship opening of the coming months will take place in Lisbon with the expected arrival of Kimpton Hotels in 2026. Between now and 2026, this very upmarket contemporary brand will take up residence near Avenida Liberdade and Eduardo VII Park. Within an existing 141-room hotel owned by the Real Hotels group, which is about to receive a new lifestyle touch from the famous Rockwell Group design studio. This is in parallel with another project for the brand in Portugal, the Kimpton Algarve São Rafael Atlántico, due to open in 2025.
" It is wonderful to see Kimpton Lisbon, Hotel Indigo Faro and Hotel Indigo Albufeira added to our luxury and lifestyle presence in Portugal, alongside the continued strong momentum of our Essentials collection in the market." commented Willemijn Geels, Vice-President of Development for Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts. While the opening of the Kimpton Lisbon will undoubtedly make the front pages of the magazines, two thirds of the new rooms announced concern the group's key offering, which is undoubtedly less well publicised, but no less powerful: its Holiday Inn family of brands.
In addition to the Kimpton Lisbon, IHG's relationship with the Real Hotels group will take the form of another hotel in the Portuguese capital, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lisbon - Amoreiras. The first hotel in the country in this long-stay format, this 192-room hotel will be converted to the brand by 2025 and will benefit from a ideal location for business travellersIt is adjacent to one of the Portuguese capital's main financial districts.
As for Holiday Inn Express, the budget brand will move in this year in the Boavista district of Porto as well as in Evora, and next year just a stone's throw from the Portimão marina. The Holiday Inn brand, meanwhile, will be opening two new hotels in the second half of 2024, one in Beja, inside the famous medieval walls of the city's castle, and the other in Braga, for one of the few branded hotels in this city north of Porto.
