IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched its Atwell Suites extended stay brand in Greater China, positioning the brand for faster global growth.
In China, the aim is to introduce Atwell Suites to the core business districts of first tier cities. IHG says the brand offers attractive returns for investors, with a lifestyle hotel that will deliver a great stay for guests, and real estate value for developers.
A new brand for the Chinese market
“Atwell Suites not only enriches our brand portfolio in Greater China but also offers guests and investors more diverse options,” said Daniel Aylmer, CEO of IHG Greater China. “This move further confirms our focus on the Greater China market. We hope that Atwell Suites will become a new growth engine for the group in China, further contributing to the high-quality development of the cultural tourism market.”
Based around the idea of “inspire the journey”, Atwell Suites is designed to appeal to a younger generation of travellers, who demand a more relaxed and casual style, with personalised accommodation experiences. There are four brand hallmarks: living comfort, aesthetic lifestyle, smart home and local inspiration.
Aside from its modern, flexible bedroom that is designed to become home for those away on extended stays, the Atwell Suites design provides a supporting portfolio of shared spaces. These subdivided spaces include the living room, dining room, retail space and social hub. The rooms themselves are available in two sizes, a king studio suite or double queen.
Atwell Suites was originally launched in mid 2019 as IHG’s sixteenth brand in the portfolio. The concept was an upper midscale segment offering, based around new build properties with a design optimised for stays of four to six nights. At launch, the company said the brand aimed to meet the desires of a guest with a youthful spirit, who was looking for a style of accommodation somewhere between the full amenities offered by other extended stay brands, and the less extensive offer of limited service hotels.
A new addition to the extended stay brand landscape
This positions Atwell Suites as a shorter stay proposition than, say, IHG’s existing extended stay choices, Staybridge Suites in the upscale segment, and Candlewood Suites in the midscale segment. These are typically fitted with a well equipped small kitchen in every guestroom or apartment, an amenity valued by those staying in one place for more than a week. In contrast, Atwell guests will find a small fridge, microwave and coffee maker alongside a sink – an ideal combination for those on short stays.
To date, there are three Atwell Suites sites open, all in the USA. These are at Denver airport in Colorado, in Austin, Texas and in Miami, Florida. There are three further US development sites, with two of these due to open imminently. Atwell Suites at Kansas City International Airport will have 104 rooms, while Atwell Suites Fort Worth is smaller at 96 rooms. The pipeline also includes Atwell Suites Henderson, due to launch in the second quarter of 2025.
