Readers: Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll check into IHG’s new, health-and-wellness-oriented EVEN hotel in Rockville, Md.. It’s IHG’s second such property to open; the first opened recently in Norwalk, Ct.
I wanted to give you advance warning about my visit so you have time to raise specific questions about the hotel or brand. I’ll get your questions answered!
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Luckily for me, the Rockville location just a few miles from our home so I couldn’t pass up the chance to experience this new brand that many people – including me – were initially skeptical about. After all, this is the first hotel brand that has put health, wellness and fitness square at the center of its value proposition, although Starwood’s higher-end Westin chain conveys similar values. The question that skeptics had about EVEN when it was first announced was this: Do business travelers really want or need a chain like this?
We’ll see….
IHG CEO Richard Solomons spoke about EVEN during the company’s Q2 earnings call on Aug. 5. He said:
It’s early days for EVEN hotels and it will take time to grow, of course, but we’re really encouraged by the response so far.
The EVEN chain, by the way, is supposed to charge rates closer to IHG’s biggest chain – Holiday Inn – as opposed to Westin.
I’ll participate in a small media gathering Friday evening, which will include a tour and in the morning a 5K with general manager Scott Blakeslee. Expect plenty of Tweets on Friday and a post right here on the Travel Update blog with photos on Saturday.
Submit your questions in the comments section below.
