NORTH BETHESDA, Maryland—Choice Hotels International, Inc. expanded its portfolio of solutions for its extended-stay hotel conversions with the introduction of Lobby in a Box—a modular design package exclusive to Choice that allows hoteliers to transform public spaces such as lobby dining areas into multifunctional, revenue-generating spaces in minimum 120 days for its Suburban Studios and MainStay Suites brands.
Delivered in a ready-to-assemble crate, Lobby in a Box allows hotel owners to adapt their lobby spaces to meet the specific needs of long-staying guests, who typically prefer an in-room dining experience with kitchens in rooms of extended-stay properties. This approach offers an alternative to convert the standard lobby dining spaces into transient hotels. It enables hoteliers to create new income opportunities for the MainStay brand by incorporating a marketplace that includes on-the-go food and beverage options, travel items, and more.
Building on Choice Hotels’ Kitchen in a Box—a turnkey solution that has enabled hotel owners to install kitchens into guestrooms in as little as three to four months—Lobby in a Box continues to drive Choice’s expansion into extended-stay markets with high barriers to entry, where conversions offer a faster and more cost-effective alternative to new construction.
“At Choice Hotels, we are proud to be pioneers and innovators in the extended stay segment,” said Matt McElhare, vice president and lead for extended stay brands, Choice Hotels. “As the demand for extended stay accommodations continues to exceed supply, solutions like Lobby in a Box and Kitchen in a Box are helping franchisees seize opportunities in a growing market while providing long-staying guests a superior, tailor-made experience. Our goal is to simplify the conversion process and help maximize hotel owners’ return on investment by giving them the tools to create spaces that can be both functional and profitable.”
With extended stay demand exceeding supply, Choice Hotels’ Lobby in a Box and Kitchen in a Box solutions are meeting an industry-wide need for hotel conversions. In many cases, securing financing for conversions is more accessible than for new builds, due to the lower risk profile associated with repurposing existing properties.
“Choice is known for its best-in-class conversion capabilities, and we’re taking it to the next level with Kitchen and Lobby in a Box,” said Ron Burgett, senior vice president, extended stay development, Choice Hotels. “Paired with unparalleled support from our dedicated team of over 70 extended stay experts, we are converting transient hotels into extended stay properties quickly.”
Since its launch in the spring of 2022, Kitchen in a Box has been used in over 30 open hotels, with six more in the pipeline, including three that are also incorporating Lobby in a Box into their renovations. These proprietary design elements contribute to Choice Hotels’ growth in the extended-stay segment, positioning the company to open its 500th extended stay property this year.
Hotel owners who have adopted these modular solutions are seeing results. Rushi Vaidya, who converted his transient hotel into a Suburban Studios extended stay property using Kitchen in a Box, noted a 43 percent increase in year-over-year revenue per available room (RevPAR) and a 10.2 percent improvement in guest satisfaction scores. “The quick conversion and expert support from Choice Hotels allowed us to transform our property efficiently, and the enhancements have paid off with significant gains in both revenue and guest satisfaction,” said Vaidya.
Partners Nick Patel and Supan Shah, owners of the MainStay Suites in Columbus, Ohio, said similar sentiments about the new Lobby in a Box offering. “The design is modern, highly functional, and tailored to the unique needs of extended-stay guests. Choice Hotels’ support and focus on innovation in this segment has been a key factor in our success,” they shared.
