HG in India: Key Highlights on Branded Residences and Luxury Hospitality Expansion
- Branded Residences Focus: IHG is exploring partnerships with Indian developers to introduce branded residences in Tier 1 cities and high-potential resort destinations, catering to India’s growing luxury housing demand.
- Expansion Ambitions: The company plans to increase its India portfolio to 400+ hotels (open and under construction) in five years, up from the current 50+ hotels, reflecting strong market momentum.
- Strategic City Growth: Ahmedabad remains a key market due to robust business travel, infrastructure development, and event-driven demand; a new 150-key Holiday Inn Ahmedabad is planned for 2029.
- Tier 2 & Tier 3 Focus: Midscale brands like Holiday Inn Express and Garner are driving expansion in emerging cities, targeting domestic business, leisure, and transit travel while ensuring strong owner returns.
- Luxury & Lifestyle Footprint: IHG is entering India’s luxury segment with the Vignette Collection (debuting in 2026 with The Aarlis Hotel Panchkula) and evaluating selective introduction of its lifestyle brand Kimpton.
Global hospitality major InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recognized India as one of its most attractive long, term growth markets and sees great potential in branded residences, which is a segment of the real estate market that is growing alongside the demand for luxury housing in the country.
The company is currently in a stage of advanced discussions with some Indian real estate developers about the potential for branded residences to be included in the residential and mixed, use projects of the highest luxury that are located in Tier 1 cities as well as high, potential resort destinations.
Speaking to Hindustan Times Real Estate, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West Asia, IHG, pointed out that the changing luxury buyer profile in India, the growing tendency towards branded living, and the ritzy hospitality, lifestyle aspirations, altogether make branded residences a very logical IHGs premium portfolio extension.
“Our focus is on major Tier 1 cities and resort destinations where we see strong demand for luxury branded living backed by global hospitality expertise. As always, timelines will be guided by finding the right partners and the right locations,” Jain said.
Branded residences/luxury homes operating under the umbrella of globally recognised hotel brands have become increasingly popular among India's UHNWIs and NRIs. Such properties come with a blend of top, grade architecture, hotel- like services, expert property management, and the security of a well established brand over the time.
The entry of IHG in this segment is just one example of a larger pattern, where international luxury brands are more and more partnering with Indian developers to serve the exacting needs of buyers who see great real estate not only as a lifestyle upgrade but also as a sound investment.
On top of branded residences, IHG has also laid down a highly ambitious plan to increase its India portfolio to 400+ hotels open and under construction in five years. The company, at present, runs 50+ hotels in India and has another 80 projects in the pipeline.
“This represents more than a tripling of our current estate and reflects the strong momentum we are seeing in India,” Jain said. “With robust owner confidence in our diverse brand portfolio, India is set to become one of IHG’s most significant global growth markets.”
Luxury Homes on the Rise, India Among Top Six Markets for Branded Residences
India is cementing its position as a significant player in the global branded residences market. According to Knight Frank India’s The Residence Report 2025, the country ranks sixth globally in live branded residence projects, contributing 4% to the global supply. Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune have emerged as the leading hubs driving this growth, reflecting India’s increasing prominence in premium residential development.
In the pipeline of upcoming projects, India ranks tenth worldwide, accounting for 2% of future global supply among the 83 countries surveyed. These figures hgighlights the nation’s growing appeal for investors and developers targeting high-end residential projects. Notably, in 2024, India was home to nearly 85,698 high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) with assets exceeding $10 million, representing 3.7% of the global HNI population, highlighting a robust domestic demand for branded residences.
Ahmedabad Continues to be a Strategic Market
Questions about hotel openings in Ahmedabad and the Commonwealth Games 2030 were a big part of the conversation. However, Jain was clear that the development plans of IHG are not based on single events but on long term demand fundamentals.
We believe Ahmedabad is still one of the strategically important markets for us because of the strong business travel demand, the infrastructure improvement, and the increase of event led travel, he added.
The signing of new 150, key Holiday Inn Ahmedabad with the opening planned for 2029, will give another boost to IHGs presence in Gujarat.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities Key to Scale
Emerging cities form a critical pillar of IHG’s growth story.
- Midscale brands such as Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Garner are driving expansion
- These brands cater to domestic business, leisure, and transit demand
- Focus remains on strong owner returns and consistent brand standards
“Our midscale brands allow us to serve domestic business, leisure, business and transit demand, while maintaining strong brand standards and owner returns,” Jain added.
Luxury and Lifestyle Brands Gain Momentum
IHG’s Vignette Collection, its luxury collection brand, is set to make its India debut in 2026 with The Aarlis Hotel Panchkula, Vignette Collection. The property will mark a key milestone in strengthening IHG’s luxury and lifestyle footprint.
The group is also evaluating the future introduction of its lifestyle brand Kimpton, although Jain stressed that any such move would be “measured and deliberate,” limited to select cities and partnerships.
Why India Matters to IHG?
India’s hospitality growth is supported by:
- Strong domestic travel demand
- Rapid infrastructure development
- Growing preference for branded hospitality
- Increasing investor confidence
“We bring the right platform to India—a highly investible model, strong owner relationships, and products across every segment. With substantial headroom for growth, our focus is on disciplined and sustainable expansion,” Jain said.
As India’s luxury real estate and hospitality sectors converge, IHG’s push into branded residences and aggressive hotel expansion signals growing global confidence in the country’s long-term consumption story, one driven as much by aspiration as by scale.
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