Bass Hotels & Resorts, Grupo Poma, Expand Inter-Continental Brand in Central America With Opening of Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa

New Hotel is the Sixth Property Stemming From 1997 Commercial Agreement

Company Press Release

December 15, 1999
MIAMI, FL -- Bass Hotels & Resorts (BHR) has expanded its Inter-Continental hotel brand in Central America with the opening of the 157-room Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa (Honduras), announced Thomas Arasi, president, Bass Hotels & Resorts, The Americas.

The property is the second Inter-Continental in Honduras, and the sixth Inter-Continental stemming from a 1997 commercial agreement between BHR and Ricardo Poma, chairman of Grupo Poma, and his hotel operating division, Grupo Real.

The Camino Real Inter-Continental is located within walking distance of Tegucigalpa's growing financial district and government centers, and directly across the street from city's largest shopping and entertainment center.

The hotel is one of the most technologically advanced in the region, offering dual-line telephones, voice mail, and computer dataports. Guests will also have access to a complete fitness center with swimming pool.

The property also features a popular Club Inter-Continental floor, as well as 15 specially designed Business Rooms equipped with printer/fax/copier workstations and other special amenities, as well as a state-of-the-art Business Center, with computer facilities, Internet and e-mail access. Bilingual secretarial services are readily available upon request.

The Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa has seven function rooms, designed to accommodate meetings and conferences of up to 600, along with complete audiovisual and catering services, as well as a full-service restaurant and casual bar with live music.

``Opening an Inter-Continental in Tegucigalpa - one of Central America's key business centers - is crucial to our overall expansion plans in the area,'' says Arasi. ``We now have an Inter-Continental open, or soon-to-open, in every major Central American capital, giving Bass Hotels & Resorts the broadest distribution of five-star properties in the region.''

``The Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa further strengthens our leadership position in Central America,'' adds Alvaro Diago, area president Latin America, Bass Hotels & Resorts. ``Since the onset of our relationship with Grupo Poma in 1997, we have more than doubled our Central American portfolio.''

Bass Hotels & Resorts(SM) the hotel business of Bass PLC of the United Kingdom, operates or franchises more than 2,700 and 450,000 guest rooms in more than 90 countries and territories.

The following service marks are owned by Bass Hotels & Resorts Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates: Holiday Inn®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Select®, Holiday Inn Garden Court(SM), Holiday Inn SunSpree® Resorts, Staybridge Suites(SM) by Holiday Inn, Holidex®, Holidome®, Priority Club® Worldwide, e.space®, Inter-Continental®, Forum®, Six Continents Club®, Corporate Rate Portfolio® and Global Partner Hotels and Resorts®.

Bass Hotels & Resorts offers information and reservations capability on its pages on the World Wide Web of the Internet - www.holiday-inn.com for Holiday Inn hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels,www.crowneplaza.com for Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, www.interconti.com for Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts, and www.staybridge.com for Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn.


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Contact:

Bass Hotels & Resorts, Atlanta
Jennifer Ploszaj, 770/604-5912
Jennifer.Ploszaj@basshotels.com
or
Kreps/DeMaria, Miami
Israel Kreps, 305/663-3543
ikreps@krepspr.com