Hotel brand opens $6 million property in new prototype design with iconic artwork, a new restaurant concept and enhanced guestrooms
InterContinental Hotels Group announced today that the 84-room, 21st-century model Holiday Inn hotel in Santee, S.C., recently opened. Developed to be more efficient to build, operate and maintain, this 56,000 sq.-ft. prototype brings the iconic heritage of the Holiday Inn brand to life in a modern, innovative design that will set new standards for business travelers and families alike.
There are now 16 Holiday Inn hotels with more than 2,500 guestrooms in the state of South Carolina with the addition of the Holiday Inn Santee. The InterContinental Hotels Group portfolio in South Carolina is represented by four of its brands including the upscale, full service, limited service and upscale extended stay segments with 60 hotels and more than 6,400 rooms. The Holiday Inn Santee is the 14th hotel to open in the new prototype design. The first prototype hotel opened in Duluth, Ga., a few miles north of Atlanta, in January 2004.
“With the addition of this prototype to our portfolio, Holiday Inn has arrived at the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation that will define the Holiday Inn of the future,“ said Mark Snyder, senior vice president, Brand Management, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts. “With the value and authenticity business travelers and families expect from this beloved brand, this hotel represents the new face of Holiday Inn which will redefine guest comfort in towns across America.”
Throughout the hotel, guests will see artwork reflecting memorable images from the Holiday Inn brand history, including founder Kemmons Wilson departing his Holiday Inn jet, a stylized version of the Great Sign – the iconic beacon that came to embody the brand – and the Great Sign as a 50s movie set backdrop.
Kem’s Café, the new restaurant concept named after Wilson, features a wide array of “comfort food,” including the All-American Cheeseburger, Kem’s Meatloaf and apple pie. Kem’s Café also offers the standard Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfastâ menu. In addition, Kids 12 and younger always eat free at Holiday Inn when ordering from the kids’ menu in the hotel restaurant when accompanied by a dining adult.
The prototype debuts a bold change in room décor for Holiday Inn, creating a design-focused, residential atmosphere incorporating iconic representations of the brand’s history. The bedspread and carpet display simple, organic patterns in stand-out colors like eggplant, and each guestroom features a newly designed breakaway armoire that allows guests to see the TV from anywhere in the room. Upgraded features like faux leather ottomans, a variety of lamps, refrigerators and granite vanities will all be standard in each room. The residential design includes business-focused necessities like an ergonomic work station, data ports, complimentary high speed Internet access, WiFi capabilities and AT&T VoIP phone systems, which will allow guests to conduct conference calls for up to six participants even while using their computer online. In addition, each room will have the standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations – comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, cable television, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. Recognizing Wilson’s legendary impact on American travel, a copy of his book Half Luck, Half Brains will be placed in every guest room at the prototype hotel.
The Holiday Inn Santee also offers a variety of other amenities such as an indoor heated pool, outdoor hot tub, lounge, patio, fitness center, same day laundry and valet, express check-out, complimentary parking, snack shop and courier service. With 1,800-sq. ft. of function space, the hotel is available for business meetings and banquets.
Conveniently located just off I-95 in Santee, the property is situated halfway between New York City and Miami, Fla. The new hotel is just minutes from Lake Marion and the Santee Wildlife Refuge, as well as area fishing and hunting destinations and a variety of 30 golf courses.
“A home-away-from-home for generations of travelers, Holiday Inn has always represented quality and comfort, and the new prototype takes this Holiday Inn experience to a whole new level,” said Lata Patel, general manager. “We’re proud to be a part of the next generation of Holiday Inn. Santee is a well-traveled market and a perfect fit for South Carolina’s first prototype hotel.”
The Holiday Inn Santee is owned and managed by Prammish, LLC, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group and is located at 143 Bradford Blvd., Santee, S.C., 29142.
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