Eight years to reach the 50-hotel mark
Launched in 2018, voco hotels is described by IHG Hotels & Resorts as the fastest-growing premium brand in the group. The milestone of 50 properties open in Europe, as at 30 September 2026, confirms the position the brand has secured within the British group’s European portfolio.
The brand targets guests looking for hotels with individual character who still want the reliability of a major brand. For owners, it offers a flexible model, particularly on interior design, which allows each building to keep its own identity.
A pipeline of 26 hotels, from Tashkent to Çeşme
voco continues to expand across Europe in cities, coastal destinations and neighbourhoods, with a further 26 hotels in development. These projects are set to strengthen IHG’s presence in the upscale segment and widen the choice available to guests in their key destinations.
The pipeline includes a first voco hotel in Tashkent, which will mark the arrival of IHG’s premium offer in Uzbekistan, a market where Minor Hotels has also just signed the NH Hotel Tashkent. The group also plans to open Europe’s first voco suites in Çeşme, Türkiye, in 2027.
Conversion as the engine of growth
The milestone comes as IHG is accelerating across all its segments in Europe, combining new builds and conversions. The group recently passed the threshold of 1,000 hotels open on the continent, with more than 280 properties in development.
voco’s growth rests on a conversion-friendly model and on access to IHG’s platform: global distribution, commercial strength and the IHG One Rewards loyalty programme. This approach has already produced several rounds of signings, such as the nine new voco hotels announced in Southern Europe and the agreements signed in the UK under the voco and Garner brands.
Analysis – For an owner, the conversion format shortens time to market compared with a new-build project, while giving access to an international group’s distribution. Karin Sheppard makes exactly this point in her statement: owners are looking for faster “routes to market”.
Budapest, Antalya and London among the latest openings
Recent openings show the brand’s geographical reach. voco Budapest D8 is the brand’s first property in Hungary, and voco Antalya Konyaaltı its first in Türkiye.
In London, voco London Bloomsbury has 114 rooms and occupies a building in Fitzrovia, a short walk from the British Museum. The hotel is close to Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden and Soho.
On the environmental front, voco Zeal Exeter Science Park is IHG’s first Net Zero Carbon hotel. According to the group, it shows that low-carbon operation and premium service can go hand in hand. The brand has also been named Europe’s Leading Premium Hotel Brand by the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years.
Karin Sheppard counts on owner momentum
Karin Sheppard, SVP & Managing Director Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, described the milestone as a proud moment for IHG. In her view, it reflects the strength of the brand, the confidence of owners and the work of hotel teams across the region. She stressed that voco has built a distinctive position in the premium segment: a warm, characterful experience for guests, and a flexible, commercially attractive growth path for owners.
Above all, she said she was excited about what lies ahead, reporting very positive conversations with owners across the region. In her view, owners are looking for versatile, recognised brands, faster access to market and the strength of IHG’s platform, all of which voco provides.
Three hallmarks for a shared identity
Every voco hotel is built around the brand’s three pillars: “Come on in”, “Me time” and “voco life”. These principles set a consistent guest experience while leaving each property its own character.
From city-centre hotels to resorts and buildings with strong character, the concept aims to preserve the charm of each asset. Owners, meanwhile, benefit from IHG’s systems, scale and support. With further openings scheduled, voco remains one of the levers of the group’s premium strategy in Europe.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
IHG’s voco hotels reaches 50 open properties in Europe
50 voco hotels now open across Europe, eight years after the brand’s 2018 launch (as of 30 September 2026)
26 further voco hotels in the European pipeline, including a first property in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
First European voco suites set to open in Cesme, Türkiye, in 2027
Recent debuts: voco Budapest D8 (Hungary), voco Antalya Konyaalti (Türkiye), 114-room voco London Bloomsbury
Growth driven by a conversion-friendly model and IHG’s enterprise platform, including IHG One Rewards
