As part of its ‘The World’s Neighbourhood Hotel’ campaign, IHG’s Hotel Indigo is bringing back the old tradition of lending to your neighbour. For those in the same postcode or zipcode as a Hotel Indigo, they are now welcome to go and ‘borrow’ everyday essentials at no cost.

The new program, ‘Borrowed by Hotel Indigo’ is part of the brands ‘World’s Neighborhood Hotel’ campaign which aims to showcase the power of community and solidify Hotel Indigo’s essential place within the neighbourhoods it plays home in.

While the old tradition of popping over to a neighbours house to borrow some sugar or flour when they are low on supplies has crumbled, Hotel Indigo is aiming to bring back the community spirit.

A recent Hotel Indigo survey found that people are interacting with their neighbours less than ever, with 59% never having asked to borrow from their neighbour at all, some due to being too shy (29%), others having had no prior relationship with their neighbours at all (25%). Where Harvard Business School research shows that even the smallest interaction with another individual, such as borrowing something from a neighbour, can make for happier communities, Hotel Indigo is aiming to bring back neighbourly interactions and make communities a little friendlier.

“Everyone knows the adage of ‘borrowing a cup of sugar’ from your neighbor – with this program, we want to embody this idea of being a good neighbor and strengthen social connections with those inside and outside of our hotels,” explains Carol Hoeller, Vice President Global Brand Management for Hotel Indigo.

From mid-November, Hotel Indigo will serve as a neighbour to the community and is inviting people from within its post or zip codes to pop over and borrow the items they need. Following the brands survey the most commonly borrowed items from neighbours include sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper and coffee and tea, and so these supplies will all be up for grabs to neighbours. Through the Borrowed by Hotel Indigo scheme, people will be able to go and get tops ups of these supplies with no expectation to return what's been borrowed.

For those visiting the hotel, Hotel Indigo will also be giving a taste of the local neighbourhood. Where travellers are more adventurous and willing to try new types of food while on a trip, the hotel will be stocking up on locally sourced items from honey to hot sauce to give visitors a slice of the community.

Through a focus on community and the power of food to bring people together, the campaign aims to solidify Hotel Indigo’s positioning as ‘The World’s Neighbourhood Hotel.’