IHG Hotels & Resorts is seeing great progress with its relatively new Garner Hotels brand, which now stands as the group’s fastest growing brand to date.
In just 30 months, from a standing start, the brand has 100 hotels open around the globe, with almost as many more signed into a development pipeline that is progressing faster than most traditional brands. Garner was created as a conversion brand, fitting into the midscale segment of the market. As well as thriving in the USA, Garner has been well received across Europe, and even broken into the Japanese market.
A Favourite for Conversions
Established to favour conversions, Garner has moved with the mood of the market. The big brand groups have all developed brands that suit this growing trend, which allows owners to quickly shift a property from an independent name, or a less well-known brand, to one with the global distribution and support of a larger group. At IHG this has resulted in a situation where conversions accounted for 52% of all openings in 2025.
Features that make a brand conversion-friendly include flexibility around guest room shapes and sizes. Colour and decor, and signage, often highly curated in a traditional hotel brand, are open to interpretation more broadly. Taken together, these changes make for a lower conversion cost, and mean refits can be carried out much more quickly.
“Garner’s initial global success reflects IHG’s proven expertise in building and scaling conversion-ready brands that owners and guests trust,” said Karen Gilbride, global vice president for Garner at IHG. “Beyond offering a high-quality alternative for value-conscious travelers, Garner’s flexible development model allows the brand to more quickly enter new global markets and deliver returns for owners. Even as we’ve reached some amazing initial milestones, we’re just starting to tap into Garner’s full growth potential.”
Across EMEAA, Garner was IHG’s busiest brand, with 43 hotels opened. Momentum was aided significantly by a 2024 agreement with German group NOVUM Hospitality to carry out a portfolio brand reassignment. The 198 room Garner Essen Handelshof is one recent conversion, while upcoming is the Garner Hamburg East, a new build in modular timber construction. In the UK, the 149 room Garner London Paddington will open later in 2026.
Growing Across the Americas
And in the Americas, Garner was the third most active brand in the IHG portfolio, with openings across the US, and the first Garner opening in Mexico. Garner Hotel Mazatlan Beach is a full featured resort property, with great views across the ocean.
India has been one market that has grasped the Garner concept keenly, and IHG already has a pipeline of several properties. The new build Garner Kutch Gujarat will launch later this year, while further sites in Bhiwadi, Etawah and Kathua are already in planning. The Bhiwadi hotel will be developed by Modest Structures Private Limited, for opening in 2027.
