IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced it will add Eagle Crest Resort and Running Y Ranch in Oregon to its growing portfolio of Holiday Inn Resorts. The resorts are expected to join the IHG system in February and will mark the 16th and 17th Holiday Inn Resort locations in the Americas and the only Holiday Inn Resort locations in the contiguous western U.S.

“These two resorts are the result of our strategy to grow Holiday Inn Resorts in markets that are convenient for our guests to get to,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Management, the Americas, IHG. “We know our guests value taking vacations, but they may not want to spend the whole day on the road or on a long flight. By growing our resorts in key leisure destinations across the U.S., we’re giving families the option to take a reasonable drive or a short flight and still have a special vacation.”

The Lodge at Eagle Crest, a Holiday Inn Resort, is a full-service destination resort located on 1,700 acres along the Deschutes River, five miles from Redmond, Ore., and eighteen miles from Bend, Ore. The Lodge at Eagle Crest Resort received a $3m renovation in the summer of 2011 and features 100 guestrooms, 10,000 sq. ft. of conference space and the new Aerie Café. The resort also features three golf courses, The Spa at Eagle Crest, three sport centers, four pools, six tennis courts, a volleyball court, and 14 miles of hiking and biking trails. Outside Magazine has repeatedly ranked Central Oregon as one of the top outdoor recreation destinations in the U.S., and guests of The Lodge at Eagle Crest are in the middle of it all.

The Lodge at Running Y Ranch, a Holiday Inn Resort, is a full-service destination resort located on 3,600 acres along Klamath Lake in southern Oregon’s Cascade mountain range, just across the California border in Klamath Falls, Ore. The Lodge at Running Y Ranch received a $3m renovation in the summer of 2011 and features 82 guestrooms, 7,500 sq. ft. of conference space and a new restaurant, The Ruddy Duck. The resort also features the only Arnold Palmer designed golf course in Oregon, ranked by Golf Digest as a Top 100 U.S. Public Golf Course and Top 5 U.S. Golf Course for Women, The Sandhill Spa, a sports center, pool, tennis and volleyball courts, ice skating arena, and 12 miles of hiking and biking trails. Running Y Ranch Resort guides are available to take guests on highly personalized, professional trips to explore what Sunset Magazine deems the best birding destination in the West. Seven wildlife refuges surround the resort, along with world-class fly fishing, rafting, cycling, hiking and more.

“Since assuming ownership of Eagle Crest Resort and Running Y Ranch in November 2010, we have invested more than $6 million into the properties, completing a full renovation of all guest rooms, public areas, meeting rooms, restaurants and bars,” said David Zeuske, Northview Partner and President of NVHG Management. “Partnering with the world’s most recognized hotel brand allows us to connect to the industry’s largest distribution systems and welcome the millions of Priority Club Rewards members from around the world. We are very excited to be part of the growing Holiday Inn Resorts brand, and are looking forward to the positive effects this will have on our lodge and resort communities.”

The Lodge at Eagle Crest, a Holiday Inn Resort and The Lodge at Running Y Ranch, a Holiday Inn Resort are owned by Northview Hotel Group (NVHG) and a subsidiary of a fund owned by Oaktree Capital Management, LP. The resorts are managed by NVHG under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

With the addition of these two properties, Holiday Inn Resorts will have 17 locations in the Americas. Resorts in the pipeline include Big Bear, Calif.; Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Bridgetown, Barbados; and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.