IHG Unveils New Dual-Brand Hotel in Orlando Linking Wellness Stays and Extended Comfort Living Near Universal

Written By: Pappu Mazumder

Pappu Mazumder

I bring a journalist’s perspective to the travel and tourism industry, contributing to Travel and Tour World through engaging storytelling, industry insights, and creative ideas. I focus on exploring emerging trends, highlighting key developments, and sharing meaningful stories that connect the global travel community while inspiring curiosity, innovation, and discovery.

See Full Bio

July 1, 2026 19:49 GMT+5:30

Image generated with Ai

A major new hospitality development has officially opened in Orlando as EVEN Hotel Orlando Universal Blvd by IHG Hotels & Resorts and Staybridge Suites introduces a dual-branded property designed to serve both wellness-focused short-stay guests and long-stay travellers seeking residential comfort. The new hotel strengthens IHG’s footprint in one of the United States’ most competitive tourism corridors, positioned close to world-famous attractions and major convention infrastructure.

Located on Universal Boulevard, the property delivers immediate access to Orlando’s core leisure and business ecosystem, including Universal Orlando Resort, the upcoming Epic Universe theme park, and the Orange County Convention Center. Developed in partnership with Daiwa House Group, the opening signals continued investment momentum in Orlando’s high-demand hospitality market.

Strategic Expansion in a High-Demand Tourism Corridor

The opening of the dual-branded property reflects a deliberate expansion strategy in Orlando, a city that consistently ranks among the most visited destinations in the United States. The location on Universal Boulevard places the hotel in a high-traffic zone where leisure tourism and convention travel intersect, generating year-round occupancy demand.

This development is positioned to serve both domestic and international travellers who require flexible accommodation options near major attractions. The proximity to Universal Orlando Resort and the forthcoming Epic Universe theme park creates a strong leisure-driven demand base, while the nearby Orange County Convention Center ensures a steady flow of business and MICE travellers.

The project also reflects growing industry demand for hybrid hotel models that combine multiple brand experiences under one roof, improving operational efficiency while expanding guest choice.

Dual-Brand Concept Designed for Modern Travel Behaviour

The property integrates two distinct hospitality experiences within a single building structure, creating a seamless but diversified guest environment. With a total of 288 rooms, the development is split between 120 EVEN Hotel rooms and 168 Staybridge Suites units, each tailored to different travel expectations.

The EVEN Hotel segment focuses on wellness-led travel, with design principles centred on physical recovery, balanced routines and restorative environments. The Staybridge Suites segment, by contrast, emphasises extended stays, offering apartment-style accommodation designed for comfort, independence and long-term living.

Together, they create a unified hospitality ecosystem where guests can choose between energy-focused stays or residential-style comfort without leaving the property.

Wellness and Restoration at EVEN Hotel Orlando

The EVEN Hotel section is built around health-conscious travel behaviours, offering a curated environment that supports physical and mental wellbeing. Guest rooms feature premium bedding, cooling linens and spa-inspired bathroom design, encouraging rest and recovery after long travel days or theme park visits.

The property also introduces an expanded fitness offering, including a 1,500 sq. ft. Athletic Studio designed for full-body training and movement-based workouts. This facility is complemented by wellness-driven dining options available at EVEN Kitchen & Bar, where guests can access fresh food choices from morning through evening.

A key feature of the EVEN experience is its structured wellness rhythm, which includes morning coffee rituals, balanced breakfast options, evening dining services and calming night-time experiences such as tea service. These elements are designed to support consistent daily routines even while travelling.

Residential Comfort and Long-Stay Living at Staybridge Suites

The Staybridge Suites component is built for travellers seeking extended stays and residential comfort. Each suite includes fully equipped kitchens, separate living and sleeping areas, and flexible room configurations including king and two queen layouts.

This format allows guests to maintain daily routines similar to home living, particularly beneficial for families, corporate travellers and relocation guests. The inclusion of kitchen facilities also supports cost-effective long-term stays while maintaining independence.

Daily complimentary breakfast service enhances convenience, while scheduled evening social events create opportunities for informal interaction among guests. These social gatherings, offering light meals and beverages, reinforce a community-oriented environment that is often lacking in traditional hotel formats.

Shared Facilities Creating a Unified Guest Experience

Despite operating under two distinct brands, the property is designed with shared infrastructure that benefits all guests. Facilities include a resort-style outdoor swimming pool, game room, 24-hour marketplace, guest laundry services, storage units for long-stay travellers and a landscaped courtyard featuring BBQ stations and pet-friendly walking zones.

These shared spaces create a balanced environment where both short-stay and extended-stay guests can interact or enjoy independent leisure time depending on preference. The design ensures operational efficiency while maintaining distinct brand identities within a single complex.

The presence of EV-friendly design elements and flexible communal zones also reflects evolving expectations in modern hospitality, where convenience and multifunctional spaces are increasingly valued.

Prime Orlando Location Driving High Occupancy Potential

The hotel’s location is one of its strongest strategic assets. Situated along Universal Boulevard, it provides direct connectivity to Orlando’s most visited attractions and key infrastructure nodes.

Guests benefit from close proximity to Universal Orlando Resort, including its theme parks, entertainment districts and hospitality clusters. The upcoming Epic Universe development is expected to significantly increase visitor volumes to the area, further strengthening demand for nearby accommodation.

In addition, the Orange County Convention Center, one of the largest convention facilities in the United States, ensures consistent year-round occupancy driven by exhibitions, conferences and corporate events.

This dual exposure to leisure and business demand positions the property as a high-performance asset within Orlando’s competitive hospitality market.

Partnership-Driven Development and Market Growth

The project has been developed in collaboration with Daiwa House Group, reinforcing the role of international investment partnerships in shaping US hospitality infrastructure. Such collaborations are increasingly common in major tourism hubs where demand growth requires large-scale capital investment and operational expertise.

For IHG Hotels & Resorts, the opening aligns with its broader expansion strategy in North America, particularly in markets that combine strong leisure demand with business travel infrastructure. Dual-branded properties are a growing segment within this strategy, offering scalability and diversified revenue streams.

A New Model for Integrated Hospitality in Orlando

The EVEN Hotel and Staybridge Suites dual-branded property represents a shift in how modern hospitality developments are designed. Instead of a single guest experience, the model delivers multiple travel formats within one integrated structure.

This approach reflects changing traveller expectations, where flexibility, wellness, home-like comfort and location efficiency are increasingly important. By combining these elements in a single Orlando property, IHG has created a model that responds directly to evolving travel behaviour in one of the world’s busiest tourism destinations.

The opening reinforces Orlando’s position as a global hospitality hotspot while introducing a new benchmark for hybrid hotel design in the region.