After over a decade, InterContinental Hotel to return to PH

Luxury hotel brand InterContinental Hotels and Resorts is returning to the Philippines over a decade after it ceased operations in Makati City in 2015.

In a news release, IHG Hotels and Resorts (IHG) entered into a franchise agreement with Hann Philippines Inc. to develop the InterContinental Clark.

The new InterContinental hotel will rise at the 450-hectare Hann Reserve—a luxury estate in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

IHG said construction of the 250-key integrated hotel will start in 2027.

The luxury hotels developer added that the InterContinental Clark will be a 15-minute drive from Clark International Airport and a two-hour drive from Manila.

"With its bustling megacities, natural wonders and warm and friendly hospitality, the Philippines is a beautiful country where IHG has a rich history of delivering great stays for guests in Manila, Cebu and Makati," said Chris Anklin, senior director for development at IHG Hotels and Resorts.

"The country has an ambition to become a regional tourism behemoth with rapid infrastructure development to promote ease of travel and strong growth potential. Hann Reserve represents one of the new waves of development growth in the market, which IHG is supporting. We are confident that InterContinental Clark will enhance its attractive mix of leisure, lifestyle and business offerings and we look forward to working alongside our partners to bring more of our much-loved brands to new and exciting locations across the country," said Anklin.

InterContinental Clark will join more than 200 InterContinental Hotels and Resorts properties globally, according to IHG.

In December 2015, InterContinental Manila ceased operations after 46 years of service when the hotel management contract between AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corporation and IHG expired.

Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, the InterContinental Manila hotel opened in 1969. It was Makati City's first five-star hotel.

Sitting on the former site of InterContinental Manila is the One Ayala, a mixed-use development named after its address at No. 1 Ayala Avenue corner Edsa.

As of March 2024, IHG said it has five open hotels in the Philippines—four of which are part of the Holiday Inn brand family.

The company added it will introduce new brands in its pipeline including InterContinental Hotels and Resorts and Six Senses.

"The InterContinental brand will bring a fresh take on luxury at Hann Reserve, an ultraluxe mountain resort getaway, and I'm confident it will elevate New Clark City as a world-class leisure destination. We hope this is the first of many collaborations through which we leverage IHG’s world-class Luxury and Lifestyle portfolio and introduce new tourism concepts and stay experiences for all travellers together," said Dae Sik Han, chairman and CEO of Hann Philippines Inc. — VDV, GMA Integrated News