IHG Adds Ruby Hotels and Plans for Global Expansion

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has acquired Ruby, a “premium urban brand” with 20 hotels across Europe.

This acquisition will represent IHG’s 20th brand and will provide a new lifestyle-focused option for members looking for a stylish yet relaxed stay.

Ruby is already a well-established brand with ambitious expansion plans, which is a big add for IHG.

Let’s take a look at the details.

IHG Adds Ruby Hotels

IHG has announced that it has acquired Ruby for €110.5m (~$116m). Ruby is a rapidly expanding brand with a solid footprint in popular European cities.

Ruby will be IHG’s 20th brand and will help add thousands of rooms to its portfolio, as there are plans for an additional 250 hotels globally over the next 20 years.

With open hotels in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.K., this is already a nice boost in guest options.

We are delighted with the acquisition of Ruby, which further enriches our portfolio with an exciting, distinct, and high-quality offer for both guests and owners in popular city destinations. This acquisition demonstrates our focus on building our presence in large, attractive industry segments and using our experience of integrating and growing brands and hotel portfolios. The urban micro space is a franchise-friendly model with attractive owner economics, and we see excellent opportunities to not only expand Ruby’s strong European base but also rapidly take this exciting brand to the Americas and across Asia, as we have successfully done with previous brand acquisitions.

Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Guests can expect the integration of the 20 currently open Ruby hotels into IHG’s system to begin in late 2025 and finish by the end of March 2026.

These budget-friendly luxury options will be a much-needed addition to IHG’s European portfolio and eventually worldwide.

We have carefully selected IHG as the right partner to take the Ruby brand and our international expansion to the next level. IHG’s distribution powerhouse, the fact that Ruby perfectly complements IHG’s portfolio, and its proven track record of successfully preserving identity and culture when integrating brands give us great confidence as we embark on this next chapter together.

Michael Struck, Founder and CEO of The Ruby Group

Ruby hotels tend to be hip and fun, with 24/7 bars somewhere along the lines of Aloft or Moxy brands, but not quite W Hotels. These brands have been steadily expanding recently, offering guests not just a place to rest after exploring the city, but also a place to be.

About Ruby Hotels

Founded in 2013 by Michael Struck, the Munich-based Ruby Group aims to deliver Lean Luxury, offering luxury at a more accessible price for both owners and guests.

This means a lean organizational structure that focuses only on the essentials, providing customers with accessible forms of modern luxury.

There are currently 20 Ruby hotels with 3,483 rooms, and 10 more are under construction or in the planning phase and will add an additional 2,235 rooms.

Final Thoughts

IHG is adding Ruby Hotels, which will represent its 20th brand. The €110.5m (~$116m) acquisition will add 20 hotels to IHG’s portfolio immediately, with plans for 250+ over the next 20 years.

If you are an IHG loyalist, you will soon have some fun new options to choose from on your next trip to Europe.