Holiday Inn is the largest full service hotel brand in the UK with 125 Holiday Inn and 112 Holiday Inn Express hotels and we're proud to be the official hotel provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

As part of our sponsorship Holiday Inn will host staff from London 2012 and other organising bodies in the run-up to and during the Games.

We will also support up to 50 emerging and established British athletes by providing them with over 1,500 free hotel nights.

The athletes, their support teams and their friends and family can use the stays at any time, up to the end of 2012, while they are training and competing or during rest and recovery.

Holiday Inn is also helping to host athletes and support staff in the Olympic Village and will provide over 90 staff for the Stratford and Weymouth Villages, including residential managers, front desk staff and concierges.

We will be using our global hospitality expertise at all stages to play our part in the greatest show on earth; the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Christopher Hale is the head of London 2012 for Holiday Inn