Start a Hotel Indigo Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #391 Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $16.4M - $64.3M

Units as of 2023: 145 19.8% over 3 years

Hotel Indigo is a hotel chain owned by InterContinental Hotels Group. Since InterContinental Hotels Group purchased Hotel Indigo in 2004, they've opened over 115 units across the world. Over 60 of their franchises are located in the United States, potentially making Hotel Indigo an intriguing business venture for those looking to own a franchise in the United States and abroad alike.

Hotel Indigo prides itself on being one of the first branded boutique hotels. It aims to provide its guests with an affordable and luxurious hotel stay that connects them with the local culture and community. All their beddings, murals, menus, and décor are locally sourced to benefit the immediate community. This means that each location is unique, but on par with their stringent standards.

Why You May Want to Open a Hotel Indigo Franchise

Hotel Indigo is one of the few branded boutique hotels in the hospitality industry, potentially giving you a unique advantage in attracting clients. Besides the free marketing that comes with the brand name, you may receive unlimited marketing support from the franchisor, be it location referral or placing ads.

Opening a Hotel Indigo franchise may give you a chance to become a hotel owner without the hustle of building a hotel from scratch. But this doesn't mean you won't be able to enjoy the creative process behind hotel design. Because each location is unique to the locale, you can likely design your hotel according to your preference.

The franchisor takes it upon themselves to ensure you have constant support in running your business. Having prior hotel industry experience will help your chances of becoming a franchisee, but it's not mandatory. Every franchisee must attend a training course on how to operate their new Hotel Indigo location.

What Might Make a Hotel Indigo Franchise a Good Choice?

To open a Hotel Indigo franchise, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. Additionally, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include royalty fees and potential renewal fees.

How To Open a Hotel Indigo Franchise

Opening a Hotel Indigo franchise may be easier than you may think. First things first, you should submit an inquiry form. A representative may get back to you and take you through everything you may need to know about the franchising process. If both sides are still interested, the representative will set up a face-to-face appointment to move forward with an official application, background checks, and other necessary paperwork.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. Speak to existing franchisees and ask the Hotel Indigo team questions. If the Hotel Indigo team likes you and you pass the financial background check, you may qualify to open a Hotel Indigo franchise. In that case, you can get started with an initial investment and all relevant training.

It may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or financial advisor in order to ensure that you possess the necessary funds to own and operate a Hotel Indigo location.

Company Overview

About Hotel Indigo

Industry	Lodging
Related Categories	Hotels & Motels
Founded	2004
Parent Company	IHG Hotels & Resorts
Leadership	Jolyon Bulley, CEO, Americas
Corporate Address	Three Ravinia Dr., #100 Atlanta, GA 30346
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2004 (20 years)
# of employees at HQ	1,711
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	145 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Hotel Indigo franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$75,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$16,411,700 - $64,294,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	5%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	20 years (average)
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Hotel Indigo has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	Varies
Classroom Training	Varies
Ongoing Support	Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates National Media SEO Website Development Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No