IHG Hotels and Resorts has opened the first hotel under its new midscale conversion Garner brand.
The former Red Lion Inn & Suites Auburn Seattle has been reflagged as the Garner Auburn – Seattle.
IHG unveiled the Garner brand in August, and at the time said that it would be ready to franchise in early September – demonstrating how quickly the group intends to turn around conversion opportunities.
IHG launches midscale conversion brand Garner
The 95-room property is located in Seattle’s southern suburb of Auburn, around 20 minutes drive from the city’s Seattle-Tacoma International airport.
Signature amenities include a complimentary hot breakfast bar, flavour-infused water at check-in and a cookie “happy hour”.
IHG plans to add several Garner properties in the coming months, and is targeting 500 hotels under the brand in the next ten years, and 1,000 in the next 20 years.
The brand will be primarily US-focused, although at the launch IHG said that there was “a goal to expand globally”. The group also said that “Garner arrives at a lower price point and conversion cost per key than Holiday Inn Express”.