InterContinental Hotels Group, the world’s largest and most global hotel
company, received what is perhaps the industry’s highest form of
compliment - recognition for guest satisfaction in the recent rankings
announced by J.D. Power and Associates in the 2004 North America Hotel
Guest Satisfaction Index Study. Most notable is IHG’s Candlewood Suites brand, which received the highest
ranking in the extended-stay segment. Candlewood Suites leads the segment
in hotel services and costs and fees. Candlewood Suites received a
satisfaction index of 809 and was one of only five hotel brands out of 64
that had a score of above 800.

“Since its inception, the Candlewood Suites brand has set a premium on
delivering a high quality, high value guest experience and is a perfect
fit for the IHG family. Candlewood Suites is a brand that consistently
delivers on its quality promise and we’re honored to receive this
recognition by those that matter most to us—our guests,” said Gina
LaBarre, VP, Brand Management Candlewood Suites, IHG.

IHG, which owns some of the world’s most recognized and respected hotel
brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday
Inn and Holiday Inn Express, is also pleased with the continued momentum
in guest satisfaction that its other brands are demonstrating as rated by
the 2004 J.D. Power and Associates study:

  - InterContinental Hotels & Resorts jumped ten points and is the only member of the luxury segment to report an improved score
  - Crowne Plaza leapfrogged ahead of Doubletree and Radisson in the upscale segment
  - Holiday Inn continues to outperform the midscale segment average
  - Holiday Inn Express continues to outperform the limited service segment average

IHG’s continued focus on guest satisfaction has been recognized in other
recent guest satisfaction surveys as well:

  - In the first quarter 2004 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report for the hotel industry, IHG’s scores represented the largest ten-year increase of any hotel company since the ACSI started tracking customer satisfaction scores in 1994.
  - The Staybridge Suites brand topped all hotels in customer satisfaction as measured by a Market Matrix survey for Q1 2004 - the first extended-stay brand to do so.
  - In a Q4 2003 Market Matrix study, Candlewood Suites earned top honors in the extended stay hotel segment for the second consecutive quarter, and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts earned top honors in the luxury category for the first time.

 

“Customers trust our brands and this latest J.D. Power and Associates
study further demonstrates that no matter which of our brands guests
choose to use or where they choose to stay our brands meet and often
exceed guests’ expectations. To ensure we meet consumer needs, we
initiated the GUEST quality program in September 2003. This program, which
is driven by guest feedback, enables our hotels to more immediately
respond to guest satisfaction issues. I believe that our quality program,
together with the high standards established for each of our brands, is
why our brands consistently rate so well with consumers,” said Tom Seddon,
SVP, Brand Performance, IHG.

The J.D. Power and Associates 2004 North America Guest Satisfaction Index
Study is based on responses from 29,424 guests who stayed in a hotel
between December 2003 and June 2004.
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