IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has announced that its Holiday Inn brand – the world’s largest upper midscale hotel brand by number of rooms – is marking another innovative first by becoming the first major hotel brand to launch a travel app for Windows 8 – the newest version of the Windows operating platform for a variety of PCs and tablet devices.
Find and book rooms at any IHG hotel
The new app allows guests to find and book rooms at any Holiday Inn hotel, as well as at the more than 4,500 IHG hotels worldwide, including the InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® brands.
Through the app’s tile on the Start screen, guests can directly search for hotels; see property photo galleries and descriptions; and view existing reservations. Priority Club® Rewards members also can view their status and check their points balance.
Michael Menis, vice president, Web and Interactive Marketing, IHG said:
“Holiday Inn has transformed the hospitality industry with its innovative and modern approach to guest services, and has a rich heritage of firsts in the industry, so it was a natural fit for our first app for Windows 8 to be rolled out with this industry-leading brand.”
Innovative, consumer-facing technology for guests
The new app builds upon IHG’s success in developing innovative, consumer-facing technology that facilitates guests’ access to e-commerce tools for hotel stays.
Menis added:
“Developing an easy-to-use e-commerce app furthers our commitment to identifying and leveraging emerging technology to drive satisfaction for our guests, while optimizing revenue delivery for our hotels.”
Priority Club Rewards app
In 2011, the Priority Club Rewards app for Windows Phone was introduced as yet another first for the hotel industry on a Microsoft platform. IHG continues to expand the breadth of its customized products for existing and emerging web and mobile platforms, creating relevant e-commerce tools for the more than 69 million loyal Priority Club members worldwide and all guests who prefer to stay with the IHG family of brands.
Apps for IHG’s existing hotel brands and Priority Club Rewards loyalty program are also available for iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, BlackBerry®, and Kindle Fire®.
The Holiday Inn app for Windows 8 is available for free download, with no hidden costs, from the Windows Store.