InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the owner of the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, announced the signing of a management agreement with Statuto Group for the new InterContinental Milan Grand Hotel Duomo.
Set on Milan’s spectacular Piazza Duomo, in a building dating back to 1860 that was originally built entirely from marble, the InterContinental Milan Grand Hotel Duomo is scheduled to open in 2008 after a significant renovation.
IHG is working closely with Statuto Group to transform the existing building – the Grand Hotel Duomo – into one of Europe’s finest hotels, and to further establish the InterContinental hotel brand as a benchmark of quality and luxury in Europe and around the world.
The Grand Hotel Duomo first opened as a luxury property in 1950 and has welcomed guests including The Beatles, Ernest Hemingway and Giacomo Puccini. Featuring 137 contemporary and stylish guest rooms, including 17 suites, the hotel will offer the facilities and luxury associated with the InterContinental brand and, in doing so, will appeal to both leisure and business travellers visiting the city.
Featuring a new top floor signature restaurant – with a soon-to-be named leading chef – boasting fabulous views across the square, a spa and health club, as well as three meeting rooms for corporate clients, the renovation and re-design will work to complement Milan’s vibrancy and will continue a long tradition of quality and excellence to become a true landmark destination in the city.
Dominating the north side of the Piazza Duomo, with an impressive terrace and unrivalled views of Milan’s Cathedral, the property will be perfectly placed for guests eager to discover the city’s history and culture. Nearby highlights include the world-famous La Scala opera house and an array of boutiques and fashion houses, while corporate clientele will benefit from its location close to the city’s financial district, just 20 minutes from Milan Linate airport and good connections to Milan’s underground system.
The announcement of the InterContinental Milan Grand Hotel Duomo continues what has been a period of unprecedented growth for the InterContinental brand. This includes the recent opening of flagship properties the InterContinental Boston and InterContinental London Park Lane, as well as IHG’s first InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles. The brand will continue its global expansion throughout 2007, including three new openings planned in China, as well as the opening of the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
Jennifer Fox, Chief Operating Officer, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Europe, commented: “This is a major project for us; Italy is an extremely important destination for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and we are absolutely delighted we have managed to secure such a great location to further our brand presence in the country. We believe that this new property will continue to strengthen our position in a market to which we are committed and we are extremely proud to be working with Statuto Group on the development.”
Giuseppe Statuto, Chairman of Statuto Group, added: “We are delighted to be working with InterContinental on this exciting development. Milan is a hugely popular leisure and business destination and we believe that our development plans for the InterContinental Milan Grand Hotel Duomo will ensure we lead the field in five-star accommodation.”
