IHG® Hotels & Resorts (IHG®) has signed Crowne Plaza Durres, Albania, making the company's debut in the country. Expected to open in 2024, Crowne Plaza Durres will offer 140 guest rooms, as well as a restaurant, bar and lounge, meeting room facilities and a wellness area including a spa, fitness centre and indoor swimming pool. Located in the centre of this coastal city, the hotel will form part of Durrës’ new waterfront investment project, which promises to transform the area into a prime leisure destination. It will include a new cruise terminal, marina, green spaces and cycle routes. With more than 400 hotels around the world, Crowne Plaza’s global scale, purposeful design, refined meetings & events, and inspiring restaurant and bar concepts make it a great fit for Albania, which is seeing increased demand from both investors and visitors as a destination for both leisure and corporate travel.
Willemijn Geels, Vice President Development Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: “Albania represents a key entry market for IHG Hotels & Resorts and we are delighted to be partnering with Mediterranean Investment Group to open the Crowne Plaza Durrës, Albania. There is a great deal of scope to bring further IHG Hotels & Resorts brands to the Balkans, and we are actively looking at new opportunities to build on our presence there. Our Crowne Plaza brand has already proven to be highly successful in Belgrade, Serbia, and we look forward to introducing it to the Albanian market as we look to grow across the Balkans.”
Gazmend Haxhia, Board Member of Mediterranean Investment Group, commented: “IHG Hotels & Resorts presented a compelling partnership opportunity to open Crowne Plaza Durres in a city which is experiencing high growth and investment levels. We believe that the Premium Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand caters perfectly to the current leisure demand and growing interest from corporate travellers choosing to visit Durres. We look forward to opening the hotel during a major new investment period for Durrës in partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts.”
