Heathrow: Arora plans to build two hotels directly connected to Terminal 4

The Arora Group, Whitebridge Hospitality, an LJ Group company, and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) have announced an exclusive agreement with Heathrow Airport to develop two hotels directly connected to Terminal 4. The two adjoining hotels, Crowne Plaza London - Heathrow Terminal 4 and Holiday Inn Express London - Heathrow Terminal 4, are due to open in 2018.

The new hotels will operate under a franchise agreement with IHG and will be managed by Arora Hotels, a division of The Arora Group.

Crowne Plaza London ‒ Heathrow T4 will feature 300 bedrooms and a range of business and meeting facilities including five meeting rooms and two boardrooms to enable guests to be at their most productive during their stay.

Meanwhile, the 450-room Holiday Inn Express London ‒ Heathrow T4 will be a ‘next generation’ Holiday Inn Express hotel, featuring the latest technology, an Express Café and Bar and larger cosier beds.

The two hotels will be located within walking distance from Heathrow’s terminals via an air bridge and with direct access to the London Underground, Heathrow Express train service and nearby motorways.

Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s leading international airports, serving 75 million air passengers annually. Terminal 4 receives 10 million passengers per year, and is the base for Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and the SkyTeam Airline Alliance, which counts Air France, Delta Airlines, KLM, Aeroflot and China Eastern Airlines amongst its members.

Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of The Arora Group, said: “Following the success of the Sofitel at Terminal 5, this exciting scheme presents the second opportunity for us to work together with Heathrow Airport Limited to bring another best in class facility to Heathrow, this time in partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group. We are also delighted to have on board our other key partner, LJ Group with whom we share a common goal of launching an outstanding hotel as well as creating a long-term investment opportunity.”

Andrew Williams, CEO of LJ Group and chairman of Whitebridge Hospitality, commented: “The T4 transaction is exceptional given its proximity and direct linkage to Heathrow Terminal 4, the branding partnership with IHG, the attractive income yield and the multiple value creation opportunities."