Three new IHG hotels across two brands will open in four years across the Loyalty Islands – better known as New Caledonia – as the company today announced its entry into the tiny French territory in the South Pacific.
One newbuilt property branded as the InterContinental Lifou Wadra Bay Resort will open in November 2021 and will feature 50 rooms including lagoon-front suites, an all-day dining restaurant along with a fitness centre, bar and outdoor swimming pool. The property is being designed by local architect Atelier 13 with interiors overseen by Chada.
In addition, two existing resorts will be converted and completely refurbished and rebranded as Holiday Inn Resort Ouvea and Holiday Inn Resort Lifou, with the former located on the scenic Mouli Beach and the latter situated in the centre of Lifou’s major township of Wé, offering guests access to the Bay of Chateaubriand.
Both new Holiday Inn resorts will offer guests an all-day dining restaurant, bar and swimming pool, with opening dates in 2021 and 2024 respectively earmarked at this point.
All three hotels are owned by Société de développement et d’investissement des Îles Loyauté (SODIL) – a body of the Loyalty Islands province, one of three administrative organisations in New Caledonia.
IHG Vice President of Development – Australia, Japan and Pacific, Abhijay Sandilya, said it was a very exciting time at IHG at the company embarked on its maiden foray into New Caledonia.
“The Loyalty Islands currently have no international hotel brand so bringing the world’s largest hotel brand family, Holiday Inn, and the world’s largest luxury hotel brand, InterContinental, to the islands will boost the territory’s global profile and give us a fantastic opportunity to offer IHG guests a unique New Caledonian tourism experience.
“We are proud to work with the owner of these properties to deliver spectacular and inspiring island hospitality.”
IHG’s expansion in the Pacific follows its maiden entry last month into the Micronesian island of Guam via its Crowne Plaza brand.