IHG Hotels & Resorts has opened the first dual-branded avid hotel and Holiday Inn & Suites property in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. Image Hotel Management owns the property. Shared public spaces include a heated indoor pool, a fitness center, 1,800 square feet of meeting space and outdoor common areas.
“Mt. Juliet is one of the fastest growing areas within the burgeoning Nashville market, and an ideal location to open our first dual-branded avid hotel and Holiday Inn & Suites in collaboration with Image Hotel Management," Kevin Schramm, SVP, mainstream – U.S. & Canada for IHG Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement. "The positive response from guests and the Mt. Juliet community make us more excited to open additional properties featuring this unique combination of leading IHG brands.”
The new avid hotel/Holiday Inn & Suites reflects IHG’s emphasis on dual-branded properties in light of growing market demand from owners. Currently, IHG’s Americas portfolio has nearly 80 open or in pipeline dual-branded properties. Nearly one-third (25) of these hotels are pairings of IHG’s avid hotels and Candlewood Suites brands, including expected 2023 openings in Fort Payne, Ala., and North Platte, Neb., and an additional recent signing for a joint 140-room property in Guadalajara, Mexico.
As building and operational costs rise and competition for land accelerates, IHG and its owners are pursuing dual-branded hotels as an efficient and guest-friendly alternative, according to the company. IHG has leveraged dual branding to introduce new brands and offer broader options to guests in markets where demand may not warrant two standalone properties. Additionally, dual branding has offered cost reduction and operational advantages for IHG owners, namely through streamlined management, housekeeping and front desk functions.
“While dual branding is not a new concept in the hotel space, it has evolved from being two separate sides of a building sharing a parking lot or pool to a model that’s beneficial to guests and owners," Schramm said. "Through dual branding, we can introduce new brands and offerings to guests by pairing them with others they are more familiar with while also helping owners mitigate rising costs and maximize their potential returns. We continue to explore and look forward to introducing new prototypes that bring the best elements of our complementary brands together.”
The hotel is 10 miles from the Nashville International Airport.