IHG Accelerates Malaysia Expansion with Garner Hotels and Franchise Model
IHG signed a two-hotel portfolio agreement with King Park Hotel Sdn. Bhd, launching its franchise model and midscale conversion brand Garner in Malaysia for the first time. The 202-room Garner Hotel Kota Kinabalu will be rebranded from King Park Hotel Kota Kinabalu, with 106 rooms opening in 2027 and 96 more in a second phase in 2029; the 140-room Holiday Inn Express Tawau will open in 2028 after refurbishment, becoming IHG's first hotel in Tawau.
Impact and considerations
IHG's introduction of franchising and the Garner brand in Malaysia will expand its Sabah footprint, offering business travellers more midscale lodging options in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, and reflecting franchise and conversion trends in Southeast Asian hotels.
Key points
- IHG signed a two-hotel portfolio agreement with King Park Hotel Sdn. Bhd, launching its franchise model and the Garner brand in Malaysia for the first time.
- The 202-room Garner Hotel Kota Kinabalu will be rebranded from King Park Hotel Kota Kinabalu, with 106 rooms opening in 2027 and 96 more in a second phase in 2029.
- The 140-room Holiday Inn Express Tawau will open in 2028 after refurbishment, becoming IHG's first hotel in Tawau.
- The agreement will expand IHG's open and pipeline presence in Malaysia to more than 20 hotels across Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Melaka and Penang.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 23 Sept 2026, 08:00
- Page published
- 23 Sept 2026, 18:00
- Last updated
- 23 Sept 2026, 08:00
- Original links
- IHG Newsroom：IHG accelerates Malaysia Expansion with Debut of Garner Hotels and Franchise Model (opens in a new tab)Primary source · en · Published 23 Sept 2026, 08:00