Andy Devaney
If you thought the Six Nations was simply an 80-minute dust-up followed by a hoarse voice and a questionable takeaway, IHG Hotels & Resorts has arrived with a polite, hotel-scented intervention. The official hotel partner of the Guinness Six Nations has launched its first-ever ‘Fancierge’ service — a concierge-style idea built for travelling supporters who treat the match as the headline act of a proper weekend getaway, not the whole show.
And it’s about time. Because any seasoned rugby pilgrim knows the real theatre often starts long before kick-off and carries on well beyond the final whistle. IHG’s new research into the rituals of rugby fandom suggests weekends have become a full-blown cultural mission: shared moments, personal traditions, and immersion in host cities that goes way past the stadium turnstiles.
Meet the ‘Fancierge’: Joe Marler, culture curator (and occasional baker)
In a development that feels equal parts inspired and beautifully unpredictable, rugby legend Joe Marler has been handed the keys as IHG Hotels & Resorts’ first-ever ‘Fancierge’. Yes, that Joe Marler — former England prop, master of mischief, and now apparently a man who can judge a Welsh male choir and French patisserie with professional seriousness.
In this shiny new role, Marler has stepped into Irish dancing, thrown himself into singing with a Welsh male Choir, and tried his hand at whisking up scrumptious French patisserie. Watch the full video here. After putting each experience through a proper testing process, Joe — alongside IHG — has curated fan-first activities across every host city.
Highlights include roaming the streets of Rome on a vespa tour, floating through Cardiff on a standup paddleboard before hitting the spa, and welly throwing at a Highland Games experience in Edinburgh. In other words: the sort of itinerary that says, “I came for the rugby… and accidentally became a better person.”
Why the Six Nations is becoming a full weekend event
IHG’s survey reads like a love letter to the modern sports trip — the kind where your boarding pass is basically permission to overdo it in a new city. According to the research:
- 88% of sports fans say they would extend a trip to watch a sporting event to turn it into a full weekend getaway
- Top motivations: exploring the host city (66%), trying local food (56%), and visiting local landmarks (49%)
- 72% believe the best memories happen outside the stadium
- 88% agree travelling to watch sports abroad is becoming more popular — led by the idea it’s a great reason for a weekend away (64%)
- 49% of sports fans would like to watch a Guinness Six Nations match, ranking it the second most sought-after sporting occasion to watch live
- A thumping 91% say they’re more likely to add an extra night to a sports trip now than five years ago
Which is a fancy way of saying: the Six Nations isn’t just sport anymore — it’s the excuse, and the city is the co-star.
Marler’s matchday rituals: vespa, yoga, baking, and a shower concert
Marler, to his credit, isn’t pretending this is purely about artisan pastries and spa slippers. He’s pitching the bigger point: the experience around the rugby is what turns a trip into a memory.
Rugby legend, Joe Marler, comments: “The energy and excitement of an 80-minute rugby match is always special – the emotion, the drama, the atmosphere – but the full experience goes far beyond the game itself. It’s also about soaking up the city and all it has to offer. That’s why I’m teaming up with IHG Hotels & Resorts to be their first ever ‘Fancierge’ to give fans incredible experiences so they can really make the most of the game weekends during the Guinness Six Nations.”
And because no modern cultural appointment is complete without a ritual list, Joe Marler has revealed his top 5 matchday rituals that help him get game-ready:
- Savouring the sights and clearing my head with a motorbike ride around the city.
- Doing some home baking to find calm and focus.
- Treating myself to a massage at the hotel spa to loosen up my body.
- Doing a yoga session to focus my mind and lock in match-day clarity.
- Singing at full volume in the shower to get my energy and confidence flowing.
Somewhere, a strict rugby traditionalist just dropped their pint — but you can’t argue with results. Or with a man who warms up via Victoria Wood-style baking therapy and a shower solo.
IHG’s play: turn Six Nations travel into “sport-driven city breaks”
IHG is leaning into the idea that fans want more than a bed near a stadium and a lobby full of damp scarves. They’re selling the full destination experience — and positioning the Guinness Six Nations as the ideal anchor for a city break.
Karin Sheppard, SVP & Managing Director, Europe, at IHG Hotels & Resorts, comments: “IHG’s latest research shows fans are travelling more than ever to follow the sports they love – and staying longer to soak up the full experience. The Guinness Six Nations is a highlight of the European sporting calendar, and as official hotel partner for the third-year running, we’re delighted to launch the new IHG ‘Fancierge’ service. With a portfolio of hotel brands to suit every travelling fan, IHG is excited to welcome and host supporters, helping them discover more of each city through carefully curated, local experiences.”
And with 20 different brands to choose from, IHG says there’s a hotel option for every type of fan — from the “I need a spa and silence” crowd to the “I’ll be late because we found a pub with a fiddle player” brigade.
How fans can book the IHG ‘Fancierge’ experiences
Fans can score Joe Marler’s curated ‘Fancierge’ experiences for themselves throughout the Championships, with select weekends hosted by local rugby legends giving travelling supporters insider access to the very best each host city has to offer. Fans can book on at ihg.fancierge.com.
Because if you’re doing the Six Nations properly, the match is only the middle chapter. The best bits? They’re the ones you’ll still be talking about when the scoreline’s gone fuzzy — usually somewhere between a spa booking and an ill-advised attempt at welly throwing.
