IHG’s Design and Innovation Center in Atlanta is a 50,000-square-foot hub where specialists in procurement, design, and brand collaborate to prototype and test hotel spaces and products before they are introduced across the global portfolio. The center’s mission is clear: to create solutions that balance visual appeal with operational efficiency. From initial sketches to installation, every detail is carefully reviewed with the aim of meeting quality and brand standards. This process aims to give owners confidence that designs are not only brand compliant but also robust, cost-effective, and built to deliver lasting value. 

Inside the Design and Innovation Center

The center addresses various aspects of hotel design, from large spaces such as lobbies, lounges, and restaurants to the finer details of guestrooms, including beds, case goods, lighting, and bathroom fixtures. A highlight of the center is the Value Engineering Lab, where furnishings and fittings undergo testing for robustness, maintenance, and suitability. Items must meet IHG’s standards and specifications, designed to help minimize the likelihood of unexpected operational issues.

IHG’s procurement team leverages the scale of global buying power to help source goods with cost-effective pricing on a range of items, from guestroom furniture to public area finishes. Efficient layouts and adaptable design elements are intended to help optimize space and minimize operational issues to help support owners in achieving value while maintaining a high-quality guest experience.

The Value Engineering Lab

Tailored Solutions Across Brands

The center supports IHG’s diverse portfolio of brands - including Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, avid, Garner, Candlewood Suites, Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Hotel Indigo, and Ruby - by refining room layouts, public spaces, and amenities to help ensure consistency and quality across each brand.

Take avid hotels as an example. Positioned in the midscale segment for the “Principled Everyday Traveler”, avid properties are new-builds with standardized designs for consistency and reliability. At the center, key details - from premium mattresses and blackout curtains to sound-dampening construction - are tested to help ensure they deliver on the guest promise: a great night’s sleep and a comfortable stay.

Guest Experience at the Heart

Concepts developed at the center start with guest needs in mind. Feedback from guests, owners, and hotel teams informs room layouts and amenities, helping to ensure designs are intuitive, comfortable, and welcoming. By grounding innovation in real-world feedback, IHG continues to evolve its brands and spaces to meet changing guest preferences.

"Component tear down" involves disassembling a product to better understand its capability to perform its intended function

Shanghai Design Center

IHG also operates a design center in Shanghai, dedicated to the Greater China region. Here, local designers, developers, and owners collaborate to adapt global standards to regional trends and preferences. For example, during the launch of Holiday Inn Express 5.0 “Dawn”, the Greater China Procurement team hosted a tour of the design lab, showcasing new product solutions that help to enhance space design, guest experience, and operational efficiency.

Owner Engagement and Assurance

Owners are invited to experience concepts first-hand and share feedback before solutions are implemented at scale, helping to reduce the risk of costly retrofits and address operational needs early. This reflects IHG’s commitment to creating hotels that balance owner value with guest satisfaction.

To learn more about the Design and Innovation Center, or to discover how IHG’s procurement expertise can support your projects, contact AskProcurement@ihg.com

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