IHG Hotels & Resorts has stepped up its European growth strategy with the signing of long-term franchise agreements covering 11 hotels in Germany, Belgium and France, in a move that will significantly broaden the choice on offer to corporate travellers across the continent.
The portfolio, currently trading under the PentaHotels banner, will be converted to three of IHG’s most commercially active brands, Holiday Inn, voco and Garner, and is expected to join the group’s system during the first half of 2027.
For the business travel sector, the geographic spread of the deal is particularly notable. Germany takes the lion’s share with six hotels totalling 1,125 rooms in commercial hubs including Leipzig, Bremen and Wiesbaden. Belgium follows with four properties offering 497 rooms, anchored by sites at Brussels Airport and in Brussels city centre, both critical addresses for European Union and corporate clientele. The single French property, a 186-room hotel at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, will further reinforce IHG’s airside presence at one of Europe’s busiest gateways.
Significantly, the agreement marks the debut of Garner, IHG’s midscale conversion brand, in Belgium, while pushing the brand’s German footprint towards 50 open hotels. For frequent travellers, the addition strengthens the midscale tier at a time when companies are scrutinising travel budgets and looking for consistent, dependable accommodation in primary business locations.
Karin Sheppard, senior vice president and managing director Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said the deal underlined the group’s faith in the European market. “This agreement reinforces our strong confidence in the attractiveness and growth potential of the European hotel market for IHG, and underlines the appeal of our leading brands and enterprise for conversion opportunities,” she said. “We’re delighted to partner with Ironstone Group and Ogilvy Management to welcome 11 high-quality hotels into our portfolio, all in prime city‑centre and key airport locations.”
She added that the conversions would give guests “even greater choice, backed by IHG’s trusted brands and scale”.
Each of the rebranded properties will plug into IHG’s commercial infrastructure, including its IHG One Rewards loyalty programme, which the group says will drive stronger direct bookings and brand visibility from both domestic and international demand.
Thomas Bralower of Ironstone Group said the partnership would enable a swift transition. “Together, we are committed to providing exceptional hospitality and tailored services that meet the evolving needs of travellers across Europe,” he said. “Partnering with a world-renowned hospitality company such as IHG enables us to convert these properties quickly and seamlessly, ensuring we can meet the demands of our domestic and international visitors in these prime locations.”
The hotels will be jointly owned by Ogilvy Management and Ironstone Group, two specialist real estate and hospitality investment firms, with debt financing provided by Castlelake and Goldman Sachs. Day-to-day operations will be handled by Bralower & Loewe Hospitality Partners S.à r.l., a newly established Luxembourg-based management company set up by the joint venture to run branded hotels in partnership with major global operators.
The transaction adds to an already substantial European footprint for IHG, which counts more than 1,230 open and pipeline properties across the region. As of 31 December 2025, the group had more than 190 open hotels in Germany, 70 in France and 17 in Belgium, with a further 264 properties in development across Europe.
For business travel buyers, the message is clear: midscale and upper-midscale brand availability in Europe’s key commercial cities and airport gateways is set to deepen meaningfully over the next 18 months.