Crowne Plaza Hotel Opens in Downtown Chicago Along the Magnificent Mile

ATLANTA - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)],
the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced that the
Avenue Crowne Plaza Chicago has opened just steps from Michigan Avenue’s
“Magnificent Mile.”  A conversion of the Avenue Hotel Chicago, the 40-story
hotel completed a multi-million renovation in summer 2008. This property
will be the second IHG full service hotel along the Magnificent Mile.

“With the recent renovation, which impacted all guestrooms, meeting space
and common areas, we’ve essentially been able to open a brand new property,”
said Mik Mahdavi, general manager, Avenue Crowne Plaza Chicago. “We are
extremely excited about branding the hotel as a Crowne Plaza.  The upscale
guest experience, superior meeting offerings, and IHG’s loyalty program -
Priority Club Rewards - makes our hotel an extremely attractive option for
business and leisure travelers visiting downtown Chicago. ”

Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago, the Avenue Crowne Plaza Chicago
is located near Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the John Hancock Center,
Water Tower Place, Lake Michigan and given its proximity to Michigan Avenue
offers guests immediate access to world-class shopping, dining, arts and
entertainment. 

“The hotel’s location near Michigan Avenue, Wrigley Field and the Financial
Districts makes it a major attraction for leisure guests as well as business
travelers,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, the Americas,
IHG.  “With the conversion of this hotel to a Crowne Plaza, we can now offer
meeting planners in particular our comprehensive meetings program, which
they won’t find at any other hotel in the Chicago market.” 

The Crowne Plaza brand offers a comprehensive meetings program to ensure a
seamless planning process and exceptional meeting experience consisting of
three key components: a Two Hour Response Guarantee, Crowne Meetings
Director and a Daily Meetings Debrief.  The hotel has more than 18,000
square feet of flexible, upscale meeting space featuring natural light from
expansive windows overlooking the city.

The Avenue Crowne Plaza Chicago boasts 350 guestrooms each complete with a
flat-screen TV, iHome docking station, mini bar, rain showerhead, and
granite countertops along with expansive views of Lake Michigan and the
downtown skyline.  Guests have access to a variety of amenities including
complimentary wi-fi in the guestrooms and public spaces, rooftop pool,
fitness center, business center, in-room dining and spa services, which are
available upon request.

The 40th floor of the hotel is home to the Sky Lounge and spectacular
panoramic views of the city.  Sky Lounge provides guests a relaxed and
contemporary setting to enjoy a European-influenced breakfast; the space is
also available for private events.  For more casual fare, guests can visit
the hotel’s first floor restaurant Elephant & Castle, an English pub-style
restaurant serving English specialties throughout the day, complete with 26
ales on tap.

Consistent with the Crowne Plaza brand, the hotel features the Crowne Plaza
Sleep AdvantageR, available at all Crowne Plaza hotels in the Americas.
Sleep Advantage encompasses the entire sleep experience, from training staff
on how to create and maintain a restful environment to providing innovative
products and services.  Program components include signature bedding,
guaranteed wake-up calls, designated quiet zones, night lights, drape clips
and amenities such as eye masks, ear plugs and lavender spray.

The property, located at 160 East Huron, is owned and managed by Driftwood
Hospitality Management, LLC, and under a license agreement with a company in
the InterContinental Hotels Group.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts participates in IHG’s guest loyalty program,
Priority ClubR Rewards.  The industry’s first and largest guest loyalty
program has 47 million members.  Priority Club Rewards membership is free
and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling
1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of
IHG’s nearly 4,700 hotels worldwide.

Click here for more information about Crowne Plaza (InterContinental Hotels Group)