Debrecen4U
October 13, 2026
Another Global Hotel Group to Invest in Debrecen
One of the world’s leading hotel companies, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), has announced that it has signed an agreement to develop a new Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotel in Debrecen as its 57th hotel in Europe to offer suites. According to a company statement, the hotel is being developed in partnership with Xanga, a Hungarian-owned investment and property development company headquartered in Debrecen. The project will further strengthen IHG’s presence outside Budapest.
The development forms part of the company’s strategy to expand into regional cities in Hungary and the wider Central and Eastern European region, where it sees significant growth opportunities.
The 120-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites Debrecen is scheduled to open in 2029, approximately one kilometre from the city centre. It will form part of a new property development incorporating residential apartments, offices and retail units. Designed in line with the brand’s Next Generation concept, the hotel will cater to both business and leisure travellers, offering 100 comfortable, modern guest rooms and 20 suites, as well as complimentary hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi and the services of an Express Café & Bar.
Hungary’s second-largest city and the leading economic centre in the eastern part of the country, Debrecen has become one of Hungary’s key industrial and investment destinations. This is largely due to substantial domestic and international investment, infrastructure development and expanding air connections. The city’s rapid growth has increased demand for modern accommodation from international hotel brands, which remain relatively limited in number locally.
Following Accor and Hilton, IHG will be the third international hotel group to open a hotel in Debrecen. “Debrecen is one of Central Europe’s most dynamic cities, and we are delighted to bring the Holiday Inn Express & Suites brand here. This will be our first hotel in eastern Hungary. The agreement we have signed demonstrates our ambition to expand beyond Budapest and meet the growing demand for quality hotels from international brands in the region’s rapidly developing cities. We are particularly pleased to be working with Xanga on this project, which marks our first collaboration. We hope it will be the beginning of a long and successful partnership,” said Willemijn Geels, Vice President of Development for Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts.
“As a company with roots in Debrecen, we have been actively contributing to the city’s economic development for more than 25 years. Through the Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotel, developed jointly with IHG, we aim to further strengthen Debrecen’s position as an international business and tourism destination by providing modern, reliable accommodation for visitors. The hotel will be part of a property development that also includes residential apartments, offices and retail units. For us, this project represents a long-term investment in Debrecen’s future,” said István Herdon, founder and CEO of the Xanga Group.
Holiday Inn Express is IHG’s largest and fastest-growing brand. Established in 1991, it has helped reshape expectations in the travel industry by offering straightforward, practical accommodation. The brand currently operates 302 hotels across 20 European countries, with a further 42 in the planning or development stages. Its hotels provide comfortable, convenient bases where guests can relax, recharge and continue their journeys. The brand focuses on what matters most to travellers: complimentary hot breakfast, a restful night’s sleep, good-value essential services and the Next Generation design concept, developed to meet evolving guest needs. For those seeking practical accommodation with extra space and additional amenities, the suites offer an enhanced level of comfort.
The agreement to develop Holiday Inn Express & Suites Debrecen also demonstrates IHG’s commitment to expanding its Essentials portfolio in Hungary and across the wider Central and Eastern European region. The company currently has five operating hotels in Hungary, with three more in the planning or development stages. The new property will be IHG’s second hotel project in Hungary outside the capital, further strengthening its presence in one of Central Europe’s fastest-growing markets.
Source and photo credit: dehir.hu
