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On February 18, 2025, IHG announced the acquisition of its twentieth brand — Ruby Hotels, a boutique urban lifestyle chain. IHG purchased Ruby Hotels from Ruby SARL for €110.5 million (~$116 million). While the hotels will officially join the IHG portfolio, Ruby SARL will continue operating them.
The integration process will roll out throughout 2025, with full completion targeted for March 31, 2026. By April 2026 (if not sooner) IHG One Rewards members should be able to earn and redeem points for stays at Ruby Hotels.
Here’s what the acquisition means for IHG One Rewards members.
What Are Ruby Hotels?
The first Ruby Hotel opened in 2013 in Munich, Germany. The brand calls its approach “lean luxury,” meaning inspiring décor and functional workspaces designed for the modern, location-independent traveler. Amenities include plush beds, well-equipped showers with fluffy towels, a 24/7 bar serving signature cocktails, and high-speed Wi-Fi.
One of the more questionable room features is a Marshall amp you can plug an electric guitar into. While this might be a nice touch for some, it does make you wonder just how soundproof these rooms are.
Ruby Hotels Locations
As of the acquisition, Ruby Hotels has 20 properties with 3,483 rooms across 13 cities in seven European countries. Ten more hotels are under construction, adding another 2,235 rooms in cities like Edinburgh, Marseille, Rome, and Stockholm, with openings scheduled through 2027.
Hotels are located in key cultural cities around Europe and are selected for their style and proximity to nearby attractions. For instance, the upcoming hotel in Edinburgh will open across the street from Princes Street Gardens, with an unparalleled view of Edinburgh Castle. In Florence, the Ruby Hotel faces Piazza della Libertà, and in Hamburg, the hotel is two streets away from the town hall.
It's also worth noting that IHG has big plans for the brand. It's targeting 120 Ruby Hotels within the next decade and up to 250 within the next 20 years.
The following cities currently have Ruby hotels:
- United Kingdom: London (3 hotels)
- Germany: Cologne, Düsseldorf (3), Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich (2), Stuttgart
- Austria: Vienna (3)
- Switzerland: Geneva, Zurich
- Ireland & Netherlands: Dublin, Amsterdam
- Italy: Florence
Our Take
The acquisition of Ruby Hotels is an exciting step for IHG. As a location-independent entrepreneur, these are precisely the kind of hotels I love staying at. I'm particularly keen to find softer beds and towels, modern decorations, and perhaps most importantly, suitable workspaces with high-speed internet.
As the hotels will still be operated by Ruby Hotels, only time will tell how much will change at each property to align it with IHG standards. Will the brand be on par with Kimpton and Hotel Indigo, or will they end up as something more generic like EVEN Hotels? Time will tell.
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