Winchester’s newest hotel has been chosen ahead of 4,500 other venues from across the world to host its group’s annual conference.
The meeting, which is taking place at the Holiday Inn on Telegraph Way, will see the 100 top directors and managers from the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) get together to put in place their strategic plans for the year.
Including visitors from Australasia, the Americas, the Far East, Europe and Africa the 100-stong delegates will descend on the historic Hampshire town in July.
Opened only last March, this is a major coup for the new 141-bedroom hotel, which is the first Holiday Inn to be branded under the ‘new generation’ style.
Siobhan Thomasson, general manager at the hotel said: “We’re delighted to be hosting this years IHG conference and look forward to showing the delegates why this hotel is so good. This is the most important conference for the IHG group and to host it is a real honour.
“It is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase our guests what the region has to offer and I’m sure they’ll all be impressed by what they see.
“To be chosen ahead of 4,500 other hotels from across the world is a brilliant achievement particularly when you consider we only opened in March. I’ve been getting calls and messages from other hotel managers from all four corners of the globe asking for pictures and updates on what we’re doing.”
Costing £16.5 million, the hotel includes all the latest technological facilities expected from a venue of this quality. From its design, layout and soft furnishings the hotel oozes class and is easy to see why it has already made an impression.
The management has also ensured the hotel gets involved with the local community and has included links with the local butterfly reserve.
Guests can also visit the local area by making use of electric bicycles which means they can explore the area without using their cars. There are also plans in place to shuttle guests to and from Winchester in an electric bus.
Thomasson added: “The people of Winchester should be very proud to have a hotel of this quality right on their doorstep and for the IHG group hold its annual conference here shows what a great facility it is.”