IHG Hotels & Resorts is continuing to grow its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio in Portugal with the signing of Esperança Hotel, Vignette Collection in the historic city of Braga. The addition brings the total number of open and pipeline Vignette Collection hotels in Portugal to six, showing the brand’s steady expansion across the country.
Expected to open in September 2026, the new hotel will be created through the conversion of two existing buildings in Braga’s city center. The 58-room property is owned by Hotel Janes LDA, led by Luciana Borges, and will be managed by independent hotel management company Amazing Evolution.
Expanding the Vignette Collection Brand
The new signing adds to a growing collection of Vignette Collection hotels in Portugal, joining properties including Convent Square Lisbon, Casa da Companhia Hotel & Spa, and the recently opened Onyria Marinha Cascais.
IHG says the brand continues to attract owners who want to preserve the individuality and character of their hotels while benefiting from the company’s global scale, systems, and global reach. Portugal remains a key market for the company, and Braga was seen as a natural fit for the brand’s portfolio of luxury and lifestyle properties.
According to Willemijn Geels, Vice President of Development for Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, the signing “marks an exciting next chapter for Vignette Collection in Portugal and reflects the strong momentum we continue to see for the brand across Southern Europe. Portugal is a priority market for IHG and Braga is a fantastic destination to house the new hotel.”
A New Luxury Stay in Braga
Known for its rich history and cultural heritage, Braga seems to be the perfect location for this new project. Luciana Borges, CEO of Hotel Janes LDA, said, “Braga always surprises those who discover it: with two thousand years of history, my city has its own authenticity, without the weight of a place that surrenders to the past. It was this character that attracted me to bring the Vignette Collection to the historic center.”
She added that the partnership with IHG provides access to a global platform while the operational expertise of Amazing Evolution will help create a hotel that appeals to both local residents and international visitors.
Since launching in 2021, Vignette Collection has grown quickly by offering hotel owners and industry experts the opportunity to join IHG’s network while maintaining their property’s unique style and identity. In just four years, the brand has already passed the halfway mark toward its goal of attracting 100 hotels worldwide by 2030.
The growth continues across Europe, where Vignette Collection currently has six open hotels and 17 additional properties in the development pipeline. For hotel suppliers, the expanding portfolio presents new opportunities to engage with upcoming projects and support future hotel developments across the region.
