voco
Sub-brand
UnclaimedAn international hotel brand owned and operated within the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
Last updated August 26, 2026
Overview
voco is an international hotel brand owned by InterContinental Hotels Group, now known as IHG Hotels & Resorts. The brand launched in 2018 as part of IHG’s effort to expand its presence in the upscale hotel segment with a concept intended to combine the consistency of a global chain with a more individual, locally distinctive hotel experience. Its name is derived from a Latin word associated with inviting people and coming together, reflecting the brand’s emphasis on hospitality and social connection. The brand’s initial development was concentrated in the United Kingdom and Australia. Its early portfolio included a group of hotels rebranded from properties associated with Covivio, as well as the 388-room Watermark Hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast. In the United Kingdom, IHG’s 2018 lease arrangement involving thirteen luxury hotels provided an important foundation for the brand’s expansion. voco St David’s Cardiff Hotel became the first voco property in Europe. voco subsequently expanded beyond its initial markets. Hotels opened or entered the brand pipeline in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, broadening its presence across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. In 2021, IHG stated that 50 hotels had signed agreements to join the brand across more than 20 countries, indicating that voco’s growth model relied substantially on conversions and hotel-management or franchise agreements rather than only on newly built properties. The brand continued to add destinations in the 2020s. The first voco hotel in South West Asia opened in Jim Corbett, India, in April 2024. IHG also opened voco Gosford in Gosford, New South Wales, in late 2025, reinforcing Australia as one of the brand’s important markets. The available reference material does not identify a separate corporate headquarters, publicly listed status or independent legal ownership for voco; these matters belong primarily to its parent group. voco’s core offering is hotel accommodation, supported by the conventional services associated with upscale full-service properties, including guest rooms, food and beverage, meeting or event facilities and leisure amenities where available at individual hotels. Because the brand includes both converted and purpose-developed properties, the exact facilities and design of each location can vary. Its positioning is therefore best understood as an upscale, internationally deployable hotel brand that seeks to retain local character while offering the standards, distribution and loyalty infrastructure of IHG.
History
voco was launched by InterContinental Hotels Group in 2018 as an upscale hotel brand. The name was taken from a Latin term connected with inviting people and gathering together, providing the brand with a hospitality-oriented identity. Rather than being limited to newly constructed hotels, voco was designed to support the conversion of existing properties into a common international brand system while allowing individual hotels to preserve some local character. The first phase of development centered on the United Kingdom and Australia. In the United Kingdom, IHG’s 2018 lease of thirteen luxury hotels created a substantial base for the new brand. voco St David’s Cardiff Hotel became the first voco hotel in Europe. The early portfolio also included twelve hotels rebranded from Covivio and the 388-room Watermark Hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast. These openings established the brand’s dual growth approach: incorporating existing upscale hotels while also building a presence in important leisure and urban destinations. After its initial launch, voco expanded into additional international markets, including Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In 2021, IHG reported that 50 hotels had signed agreements to use the brand in more than 20 countries. This milestone illustrated the importance of franchising, management agreements and conversions to voco’s international development. The brand’s expansion was not presented as a single-country rollout, but as a broader addition to IHG’s multi-brand hotel platform. The geographic network continued to develop during the 2020s. In April 2024, the first voco hotel in South West Asia opened in Jim Corbett, India. In late 2025, voco Gosford opened in Gosford, New South Wales, continuing the brand’s growth in Australia. The available reference material does not provide a complete current hotel count, detailed financial results, a standalone corporate structure or named brand executives. Operationally, voco focuses on full-service hotel accommodation. Individual properties may offer restaurants and bars, meeting and event spaces, leisure facilities and other guest services, although the precise mix differs by location. The brand’s overall proposition combines IHG’s distribution and operating systems with a less standardized, locally expressive hotel experience. It remains a brand within the IHG Hotels & Resorts portfolio rather than an independent publicly listed company.
- 2025
voco Gosford opens
[1]voco Gosford opens in Gosford, New South Wales, extending the brand’s Australian presence.
- 2024
First South West Asian hotel opens in India
[1]The first voco hotel in South West Asia opens in Jim Corbett, India.
- 2021
50 hotels sign for the brand
[1]IHG reports that 50 hotels have signed to carry voco in more than 20 countries.
- 2018
voco launches
[1]IHG introduces voco as an upscale hotel brand, initially targeting expansion in the United Kingdom and Australia.
- 2018
Initial British and Australian properties enter the brand
[1]The early network includes hotels converted from Covivio and the Watermark Hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast. voco St David’s Cardiff becomes the first European voco hotel.
Products and positioning
An upscale, globally scalable hotel brand combining IHG operating infrastructure with locally distinctive properties and a more informal, welcoming guest experience.
Upscale hotel accommodation · 2018
voco hotels
The core voco offering is full-service hotel accommodation within the IHG portfolio. Properties are intended to provide an internationally recognizable brand experience while retaining elements of local identity. Depending on the individual hotel, the offer may include guest rooms and suites, restaurants and bars, meeting facilities, leisure amenities and other services normally associated with upscale hotels. The portfolio includes both converted properties and newer openings.
Brand decisions
2018
Launch of the voco hotel brandProduct launchBackground
IHG created voco to expand its upscale hotel portfolio and to support the branding of existing hotels as well as future openings.
Action taken
IHG introduced the voco name and began placing hotels in the United Kingdom and Australia under the new brand.
Aftermath
The brand expanded into additional markets and reached 50 signed hotels in more than 20 countries by 2021.
2018
Conversion-led initial expansionStrategyBackground
The new brand required a rapid international footprint while using IHG’s existing relationships with hotel owners and operators.
Action taken
IHG brought existing properties, including twelve hotels associated with Covivio and the Watermark Hotel on the Gold Coast, into the initial voco network.
Aftermath
The approach established a scalable model combining hotel conversions with later openings in new markets.
Recent events
- 2025
voco Gosford opens in New South Wales[1]
Product launch
IHG opened voco Gosford in Gosford, New South Wales, as part of the brand’s continued Australian expansion.
- 2024
First voco hotel opens in South West Asia[1]
Product launch
The first voco property in South West Asia opened in Jim Corbett, India, extending the brand’s geographic footprint into the Indian market.
- 2021
voco reaches 50 signed hotels across more than 20 countries[1]
Product generation
IHG announced that 50 hotels had signed to carry the voco brand, demonstrating the brand’s international expansion through agreements with hotel owners.
- 2018
IHG launches the voco hotel brand[1]
Product launch
InterContinental Hotels Group introduced voco as a new hotel brand aimed at the upscale segment, with initial growth focused on the United Kingdom and Australia.
- 2018
voco expands through an initial portfolio of converted hotels[1]
Product launch
The brand’s early locations included twelve hotels rebranded from Covivio and the 388-room Watermark Hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/voco · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled