Global expansion
In 1961, Intercontinental Hotels opened its first property in the Middle East, the Phoenicia Intercontinental Beirut, in Lebanon. In 1962, the chain expanded to three more continents, assuming management of the Ducor Palace Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia in April,[7] opening the Hotel Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, in July,[8] and The Southern Cross in Melbourne, Australia, in August.[9] The first properties in Europe followed in May 1963, with simultaneous openings in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, Ireland.[10] In 1964, Intercontinental became the first American hotel chain to operate in Eastern Europe, when it assumed management of the Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The chain would continue to be unique among western hospitality companies in operating behind the "Iron Curtain", opening properties in Budapest, Bucharest, Prague and Warsaw between 1968 and 1974.[4]
The company continued constructing new luxury hotels in Pan Am destinations around the world. In its hotel designs, Intercontinental aspired to combine Mid-century modern American luxury with decorative elements drawn from local cultures.[3] Between 1961 and 1985, Intercontinental's head designer, Neal Prince, designed interiors and branding for 135 hotels.[3][11]
The chain was officially rebranded as Inter•Continental Hotels in 1966, with the name commonly spelled with a hyphen as Inter-Continental when typed.[12]
In 1972, Inter-Continental started a line of moderately priced hotels, called Forum Hotels.[13] The first Forum property was the Lee Gardens Hotel in Hong Kong.[14] Inter-Continental opened its first hotel in the United States in 1973, when it assumed management of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.[15]
