ExCeL London Adds Crowne Plaza to Onsite Hotel Campus Offering

Thursday Oct 21, 2004

Holiday Inn Docklands, which opened in May 2003 on the ExCeL campus, is to be upgraded to a Crowne Plaza hotel from November this year. The change is being made in response to customer demand for higher specification, luxury accommodation at ExCeL. The hotel will convert to the Crowne Plaza brand in early November, following an external and internal upgrade and refurbishment of public areas, guestrooms and the conference and banqueting facilities.

ExCeL Chief Executive, Jamie Buchan comments: "The Crowne Plaza will be a welcome addition to the hotel offering we currently have at ExCeL. We are constantly looking at ways to add value and the new specification reflects the high standards and modern facilities at ExCeL. With the newly opened redeveloped Platinum Conference Suite, guests and delegates will have another high quality hotel within a five minute walk of the venue."

Crowne Plaza hotels have an upscale market image and are designed to provide high levels of comfort with a focus on facilities and services for business guests. Every Crowne Plaza offers health and fitness facilities, quality dining options and discrete and flexible services.

"The rebranding is a very positive development," said John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, UK & Ireland for InterContinental Hotels Group. "Building on the success of this already popular hotel, the Crowne Plaza Docklands will have a great deal more to offer business and leisure travellers, as well as conference and meeting organisers. Crowne Plaza hotels offer upscale accommodation, great facilities and superlative hospitality, and we have no doubt that the latest addition to the brand at Docklands will build on this tradition."

Ewan Campbell, BDL's Group Marketing Director, explained, "The hotel team have built close relationships with a number of loyal guests, and the rebranding is a very positive step both for them and new customers. We are a young hotel with an already excellent reputation, and by building on this through upgrading and improving both our physical amenities and our service levels, we hope to become the best value hotel in Docklands."

The hotel opened as a Holiday Inn in May 2003, with a cutting edge, contemporary interior and higher quality finish than would normally be expected of the brand. The change to the Crowne Plaza brand will see further upgrades and refurbishment of the 210 bedroom property, including:
  • superior facilities in the guestrooms
  • Enhanced meeting and conference facilities, including the introduction of an Executive Boardroom
  • Refurbishment of the lobby and restaurant
  • Major external upgrading
  • New menus in the Mediterranean-inspired Terra Restaurant, and Isle Bar and Lounge

The hotel benefits from an ideal location at Victoria Dock, offering easy access to the ExCeL Conference & Exhibition Centre, London City Airport and Canary Wharf. The Docklands Light Railway is just a few minutes walk from the hotel, making other parts of London readily accessible.

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