For a Crowne Plaza hotel, what aspects of the hotel are subject to Holiday Inn's approval of plans?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
SERVICES**
Except as described below, you are not required to purchase or lease products or services from Holiday or its affiliates, or from suppliers approved by Holiday, or under Holiday's specifications.
Standards and Specifications:
You must build, design, furnish, equip, decorate and supply the hotel subject to Holiday's approval of your plans. You must equip and operate the Hotel with products which meet the Standards and specifications, including those described in the License and the Standards for the applicable Crowne Plaza Hotel brand. All modernization, renovation and upgrading of your Hotel must also meet the Standards and specifications. Holiday issues specifications by brand of product and in many instances by brand "or equivalent", by physical characteristics and by other methods, depending on the product or service involved. Holiday can make changes to the Standards. These changes will become binding on you as if originally set forth in the Standards. Any change Holiday makes must be approved by Holiday's designated internal franchise committee or subcommittee, after seeking the advice and counsel of the appropriate committee of the IHG Owners Association. Holiday will provide you with an explanation of any change, in writing, at least 30 days before it goes into effect.
Holiday estimates that the Standards and specifications will apply to 90% to 95% of your purchases and leases. If you purchase or lease any equipment or supplies not previously approved by Holiday, Holiday may require you or the manufacturer to submit a written request for its approval. Holiday reserves the right to require removal of any non-approved product installed at the Hotel. While Holiday has no obligation to respond within a certain time frame, it expects to do so within 45 to 60 days from receipt of your request. Holiday may require certain information, tests, certifications and inspections, at no expense to Holiday, as a condition of approval.
All Crowne Plaza brand group hotels must install in all guestrooms the approved bedding components that comply with the Crowne Plaza Bedding Collection. To ensure brand-wide consistency of the sleep experience, you must purchase mattresses and pillows through the approved suppliers. You must purchase the brand-mandated components (for example duvets and sheets) through the IHG approved distributors.
Under the Crowne Plaza Bulk Bath Amenity Program, all Crowne Plaza brand group hotels must install in all guestrooms the approved bath components that comply with the Guest Bathroom and Supplies and Amenities standards and the IHG Journey to Tomorrow initiative. Approved IHG suppliers have been identified for Crowne Plaza bath amenities. To ensure brand-wide consistency of quality, look and feel, you must purchase the Crowne Plaza bath amenities and bulk amenity brackets from the specified vendors. Under the Crowne Plaza Fitness Center program, all Crowne Plaza brand group hotels must install the fitness center design elements outlined in the section of the Standards regarding fitness centers. Additionally, approved equipment vendors have been identified and all equipment purchases must go through one of the three approved vendors outlined in the section of the Standards regarding fitness centers. Lastly, minimum fitness center square footage requirements which must be adhered to are also outlined in the section of the Standards regarding fitness centers. All plans must be submitted to the IHG PIP and Plan Review team at amerplanreview@ihg.com for review and approval prior to ordering any equipment or design elements.
Holiday requires you to hire qualified, licensed, professional advisors with hotel experience in the form of a project team, which must consist of an interior designer with upscale hotel brand experience and may, depending on complexity and scope of the work, also consist of an architect, engineer, art consultant, lighting consultant, or other related specialist when building or renovating a Crowne Plaza hotel. If you cannot find such licensed professional help, contact your Openings Regional Director. All architects and interior designers must be approved by Holiday prior to the project commencing. Any design work submitted by unqualified individuals hired by you will be rejected and your Hotel can be subject to Plan default, resulting in an assessment of fees under the terms of your License. The fee for such Plan default will be up to $5,000. At our sole discretion, you may be required to remove any product installed in your Hotel that has not been approved by IHG explicitly in writing before installation.
In some instances, Holiday receives a small commission from vendors' sales to offset Holiday's costs of implementing the Standard Room Decor Program ("SRD Program"). These costs include professional design services for creating new décor schemes for Holiday's licensees, prototype room development and testing, specifications development, negotiating and contracting services for items that the licensee may buy through this program, web site updating and maintenance, and licensee support service expenses. The commission amounts to ½% to 3% for SRD items. The information below reflects operations as of the date of this disclosure document and is subject to change. Standard Room Décor commissions for the year ending December 31, 2024, were $5,600,000.
At the time Holiday and you sign a License, and before your Hotel opens, SCH may determine to fund your purchases from approved suppliers and then invoice you. You must reimburse SCH for these purchases.
Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 59–68)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Crowne Plaza's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must obtain Holiday Inn's approval on various aspects of the hotel's design, construction, and operation. This includes the initial building plans, interior design, and any subsequent modernization, renovation, or upgrades to ensure they meet the brand's standards and specifications. Holiday Inn provides these specifications by brand of product, physical characteristics, or other methods relevant to the product or service. These standards apply to an estimated 90% to 95% of a franchisee's purchases and leases.
Specifically, franchisees are required to use approved vendors and designs for certain elements. For example, the Crowne Plaza Bulk Bath Amenity Program mandates the installation of approved bath components in all guestrooms, and these must be purchased from specified vendors to maintain brand consistency. Similarly, the Crowne Plaza Fitness Center program requires adherence to specific design elements and the use of approved equipment vendors. All plans for these areas must be submitted to the IHG PIP and Plan Review team for approval before any orders are placed.
Furthermore, franchisees must use a property management system (PMS) that has been certified by SCH and maintain it according to SCH's standards. The PMS must have an SCH-approved database schema and shell for proper interface with the Reservation System. Approved Wi-Fi equipment must be installed for Guest Internet Access, and an approved Keycard System that meets brand requirements must be utilized. The hotel must also display a primary sign and a total signage package that meets Holiday Inn's specifications and is purchased from an approved vendor. These detailed requirements ensure brand consistency and quality across all Crowne Plaza locations, but also limit the franchisee's autonomy in choosing suppliers and designs.