IHG Hotels & Resorts is rapidly scaling its presence across Europe, marking a period of significant growth that has seen its portfolio expand by more than a quarter over the past three years. With over 32,800 additional rooms added between 2023 and 2025, IHG’s European footprint now encompasses more than 1,230 open and pipeline hotels across over 40 countries, reflecting a sustained investment strategy and strong owner demand.
Record Expansion Amid Strong Travel Demand
The momentum behind IHG’s expansion is supported by a robust European travel landscape. According to industry data, European hotel investment reached approximately €27 billion in 2025, while the region welcomed an estimated 793 million international arrivals — the highest figure globally — underscoring Europe’s ongoing appeal as a premier travel destination.
In 2025 alone, IHG achieved several milestones: it opened a record 102 hotels, signed 117 new properties, and completed its acquisition of Ruby Hotels, a European-based urban lifestyle brand. These achievements have strengthened the company’s portfolio across all major market segments, from luxury and lifestyle to essentials and suites.
Strategic Markets and Brand Development
Among IHG’s regional markets, Germany stands out as a core growth engine. The country now accounts for more than 20% of IHG’s open rooms in Europe (approximately 32,700 rooms) and nearly 20% of its development pipeline. Germany’s robust domestic and international travel demand has helped elevate brand awareness and performance across IHG’s European operations.
Karin Sheppard, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, highlighted the strategic scale of the company’s growth: “Across Europe, IHG continues to build strong momentum as we purposefully scale our portfolio, surpassing 150,000 open rooms in the region — a significant milestone for our business. We are growing both new and established brands in priority markets to strengthen our presence across all four segments, underpinned by sustained investment… This achievement reflects the collective strength of our colleagues in more than 40 countries.”
Growth Across Brand Segments
IHG’s expansion spans its Luxury & Lifestyle, Premium, Essentials, and Suites portfolios, each driving distinct segments of the company’s strategy:
- Luxury & Lifestyle: High-profile openings and signings include flagship properties such as Six Senses Londonand InterContinental Prague. The Kimpton brand and Vignette Collection are also growing steadily in key European markets.
- Premium: IHG continues to extend its premium offerings with the launch of the Noted Collection, alongside notable additions such as Crowne Plaza Marne-la-Vallée near Disneyland Paris, and the integration of Ruby Hotels. The expansion of voco properties further underscores momentum in this segment.
- Essentials: The Garnì brand is expanding into the UK, Germany, Italy, and Turkiye, while the Holiday Inn brand family remains a cornerstone of IHG’s European estate, accounting for more than 60% of its open properties in the region.
- Suites: The company is entering new markets with extended-stay brands, including the debut of Candlewood Suites Reykjavik in Iceland and Staybridge Suites Milan NoLo in Italy, catering to both leisure and business travellers seeking flexible, longer-stay options.
Conversions Drive Rapid Scale
A key element of IHG’s growth strategy in Europe has been the accelerated pace of hotel conversions, which accounted for 84% of room openings and 61% of room signings in 2025. This trend underscores strong owner interest in leveraging IHG’s global distribution, loyalty programme, and commercial platforms, while offering a lower-risk, faster route to market compared with ground-up development.
IHG’s European pipeline spans a diverse mix of destinations and property types, with its largest markets including the UK & Ireland (404 properties), Germany (242), France (84) and Spain (81).
Outlook
As IHG continues to deepen its European footprint, the company is well positioned to capitalise on Europe’s unrivalled tourism demand, the resurgence of urban and leisure travel, and strong investor confidence in branded hospitality. With strategic brand evolution, sustained investment, and owner partnerships at its core, IHG’s rapid portfolio expansion reflects a broader competitive drive to meet rising guest expectations and market opportunities across the continent.
