InterContinental Hotels Group has continued its expansion and development in
the Russian Federation with the announcement of a new Crowne Plaza Hotel due to open
in St Petersburg in early 2009.

This agreement, signed between InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Rastor
Investments Ltd, is the first Crowne Plaza in St Petersburg, following on from the
launch of the Crowne Plaza brand in Moscow last year.

The hotel, situated in the heart of St Petersburg, will have 339 rooms and offer
extensive facilities including two bars, two restaurants, a swimming pool and a gym.
Business travellers can also take advantage of the hotel’s 750m? of meeting space.

 

The Crowne Plaza St Petersburg will be housed in a historic, low-rise building in
the Admiralteyski district of the city - one of St Petersburg’s main shopping areas.
In addition to the rooms and other hotel facilities, the property will boast a large
covered atrium which will house retail space featuring shops, bars and restaurants.

 

Ideally positioned for both business and leisure travellers, the hotel is close to
both the tourist and business areas of this magnificent city. A number of historical
and cultural attractions such as the Nikolskiy Catherdral and Usupovskiy Palace are
close by and transport links to the hotel are also good, with two metro stations and
railway stations just a short walk away.

 

Robin Wicks, IHG’s Chief Operating Officer Europe, commented: “This project
represents a unique opportunity to establish the Crowne Plaza brand in the city of
St Petersburg. Russia is a strategic market for IHG; the strength of the Russian
economy and increasing opportunities in this region have attracted hotel investors
and operators, and raised the demand for international hotel brands such as Crowne
Plaza.”

 

IHG is already well established in the Russian Federation with four Holiday Inn
hotels in Moscow providing 1290 rooms. This will soon be complemented by a strong
presence in St Petersburg with the opening of the Crowne Plaza which, along with
Holiday Inn Ligovsky Prospect and Holiday Inn Moscowsky Prospect, both due to open
in 2008, will take the IHG room count in the city to 968.

 

Andrey Yakunin, Partner & Chief Financial Officer, Rastor Management Ltd also added:

 

“The city of St Petersburg is currently lacking in quality business and travel
accommodation but an increasing number of international hotel chains are starting to
come to the cultural capital of Russia. This new Crowne Plaza is not only
contributing to a high standard of accommodation in St Petersburg but also means an
architectural monument built in 1789 is being resurrected. Crowne Plaza will offer
great new accommodation for the booming tourist industry by rebuilding and infusing
life into one of the classic buildings of St Petersburg.”

InterContinental won World’s Leading Hotel Brand at this year’s World Travel Awards.
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