First InterContinental hotel to appear in Azerbaijan
By Nigar Orujova
InterContinental Hotels Group, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced opening of the first InterContinental hotel in Azerbaijan: InterContinental Baku.
The hotel, that is scheduled to open in 2016, will operate under a franchise agreement with AZ-ORS LLC and will be managed by The Ceylan Group - owners and managers of the successful InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey.
InterContinental Baku will include a total of 162 rooms featuring 110 standard rooms, 47 junior suites, four executive suites and one presidential suite.
The hotel is set to appeal to domestic and international travelers alike with an indoor swimming pool, a stunning lobby bar, an all-day dining restaurant, club lounge, a spa & fitness centre and a valet car service for guests.
The new luxury InterContinental Baku will be located in the heart of the Azerbaijani capital’s shopping and leisure district on BulBul Avenue and Zarifa Aliyeva Street near the famous seaside promenade Baku Boulevard.
Aron Libinson, Associate Vice President of Development for Russia, CIS and Georgia, IHG said: “We’re thrilled to have signed our first luxury InterContinental hotel in Azerbaijan and very excited to be working with highly experienced hotel operator The Ceylan Group on this project.
“InterContinental Baku marks the third hotel and the third brand we have introduced to Azerbaijan. We continue to expand the InterContinental brand in cities and locations that are destinations in their own right to give our guests meaningful and enriching experiences.”
Mahmut Ceylan, Chairman of The Ceylan Group said: “We’re very pleased to be managing our second InterContinental property in Europe and look forward to seeking out future opportunities to further strengthen the relationship between The Ceylan Group and IHG.”
The vibrant city of Baku is the cultural, scientific and industrial centre of Azerbaijan. It is well established as the tourist hot spot in the Caucasus with its stunning beaches and vast array of entertainment options.
Known as the largest city in the world below sea level, Baku is fast becoming a destination for international events and will host the first ever major multi-sport event specifically for Europe – the 2015 European Games, the 2016 European Formula 1 Grand Prix and the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament.
InterContinental Baku joins InterContinental Dublin as the latest additions to the IHG portfolio, further strengthening IHG’s leading position in Europe’s hotel market.
InterContinental Hotels and Resorts is now twice the size of any other luxury brand, with the largest global pipeline. There are currently 178 InterContinental Hotels and Resorts globally and 53 in the pipeline.
IHG’s broader family of nine brands in nearly 100 countries meets the needs of guests, whatever the occasion – whether an overnight getaway, a business trip, a family celebration or a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
All IHG hotels participate in IHG’s guest loyalty programme, IHG Rewards Club which is the industry’s first and largest guest loyalty programme with over 82 million members. It is free to join at www.IHGRewardsClub.com.
Guests can also explore InterContinental Hotels and Resorts around the world at: www.ihg.com/intercontinental