IHG Introduces Garner Hotels to Europe: Expanding Mid-Scale Hospitality with NOVUM Partnership

IHG Introduces Garner Hotels to Europe: Expanding Mid-Scale Hospitality with NOVUM Partnership

November 12, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor World

IHG Hotels & Resorts Expands Garner Brand in Europe

IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched its new midscale conversion brand, Garner, in Europe, with the first hotels opening in Germany through a partnership with NOVUM Hospitality.

Initial Openings in Germany

  • Garner Hotel Hamburg Nord: Located in northeast Hamburg, this hotel has 100 rooms and offers easy access to shopping districts, restaurants, bars, and transport links.
  • Garner Hotel Elmshorn: Situated next to the district’s business park, about 30 minutes from Hamburg, this 75-room hotel is close to restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping districts.
  • Garner Hotel Augsburg: In the city of Augsburg, this 132-room hotel is surrounded by major attractions and provides amenities for both business and leisure travelers.

These hotels were converted from NOVUM’s Yggotel, Select Hotels, and Novum Hotels brands.

Expansion Plans

  • Northern Europe: Over 50 more Garner hotels are set to open in Northern Europe. IHG and NOVUM have a long-term agreement to convert more than 50 hotels in Germany, with additional openings planned in cities like Hamburg, Mannheim, and Berlin.
  • United Kingdom: Two hotels are slated to open in the UK in 2024: Garner Hotel Reading Centre with 53 rooms and Garner Hotel Preston Samlesbury with 80 rooms, both developed in partnership with Nilvip Hotels and KRO Hospitality.
  • Austria and Netherlands: Garner will debut in Vienna, Austria, with a 106-room hotel, and in Maastricht, Netherlands, with a 165-room property.
  • Turkey: A 126-room Garner hotel will open in Istanbul in 2025, near the International Istanbul Airport, catering to transient travelers.

Key Features of Garner Hotels

  • Affordable Price Point: Garner hotels aim to offer stays at an affordable price.
  • Basic Amenities: They provide convenient locations, free WiFi, breakfast, and 24×7 snacks and bean-to-cup coffee.
  • Quick Conversion: The brand focuses on quick conversions to operational status, reducing pre-opening costs and enhancing returns for owners.

Global Presence

Since its launch in August 2023, Garner has signed 79 properties globally, including locations in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, and Turkey. The brand has already opened four hotels and is set to expand rapidly, with plans to reach 500 hotels in 10 years and 1,000 properties in the next 20 years in the US alone.

Partnership with NOVUM Hospitality

IHG and NOVUM have a long-term agreement that enables IHG to double its footprint in Germany, with NOVUM set to become one of IHG’s largest global franchise partners. This partnership includes the integration of over 40 properties under other IHG brands and the rebranding of existing hotels to the Garner brand by mid-2025[4][5].