It really depends on ownership, as the property owners have the ability to exceed brand standards if they so choose.

CP in Vientiane is an example of a location in which the Crowne Plaza opened as the city’s first major international chain hotel, and as a result it is positioned as a high end hotel within the local market segment. Therefore service, F&B, and amenities are pitched higher than at Crowne Plaza elsewhere.

I get the feeling that IHG does not like lower flagged hotels to cannibalise demand for their own higher flagged properties in the same location, and discourage the hotels from exceeding their brand standards too much. I know that there is actually a point system, and properties are awarded points for brand standard compliance, but actually penalized for exceeding standards.

This could be why Vientiane, for example, is so excellent as it is the only IHG property in Town. Whereas, in Bangkok, the positioning of the many IHG properties are more clearly in line with the IHG brand hierarchy.

Re Double Tree Doha, it does not surprise me that it is so nice. Qatar is a very wealthy country and there is no shortage of investment in its hotel market, which overall has very high standards, nearly as high as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but not quite.