Industry NewsBrandsBest Western Launches Two New Brands at the Lodging Conference

Best Western Launches Two New Brands at the Lodging Conference

Yesterday, Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of two new boutique brands, Sadie Hotel and Aiden Hotel. These new concepts represent the 12th and 13th brands in Best Western’s portfolio.

Sadie and Aiden are both conversion brands, with Sadie operating in the upscale segments and Aiden in the upper-midscale segment. They were conceived to give developers an opportunity to reposition existing properties to improve performance and enhance their value, while taking advantage of Best Western’s systems, support, and scale.

To yield the best possible returns on investment, Best Western decided that Sadie’s and Aiden’s designs would be completely flexible, allowing hoteliers to incorporate local style into their properties. “We want to make every hotel different… We want to work with the owners to make [their] vision of what the hotel should look like. So every hotel will be customized in term of design. We want the hotel to capitalize on the local flair that’s out there,” said David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

“We have so much flexibility in the design,” added Amy Hulbert, Best Western’s VP of boutique and upscale brands. “We’re still going to have requirements around the quality of the sheets, the number of pillows on the bed, as well as the offerings of the restaurants, but want to make sure that there’s enough flexibility in the design that it stays fun. We want it to be fun for the developers.”

All Sadie and Aiden hotels will have one design element in common—a multi-functional public area with either a café or bar, lots of seating, and mobile check-in.

Kong also noted that Best Western is focused on ensuring that Sadie and Aiden properties have an accelerated ramp-up period. “We have a team of people that has helped a lot of hotels ramp up and we can leverage [its] expertise to help these hotels ramp up quickly by integrating them with our revenue engines from the get-go, so they don’t waste any time,” he said.

Best Western is also dedicated to ensuring the brands make a splash on social media. “Best Western has the second highest social engagement scores in the industry, so we will take our know-how and all the influencers that we work with to create customized templates and play books for these hotels to ramp up their social media buzz,” Kong described.

Though the brands were officially announced less than 24 hours ago, Hulbert said that Best Western already has some prospective developers, though she can’t quite say how many. “Brands always come from somewhere, and often they come from guests asking for something that isn’t out there yet. We think these brands will meet a need in the industry, and we are super excited.”

Kate Hughes
Kate Hughes
Kate Hughes, Editor, LODGING Magazine

RELATED ARTICLES

AHLA Statement on Appointment of AAHOA’s New Board Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) President & CEO Rosanna Maietta issued the following statement following the appointment of KP Patel as chairman of...

Hyatt Announces Appointment of Kristin Oliver as New Chief Human Resources Officer

CHICAGO, Illinois—Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced a key leadership transition within its executive team. After seven years with the company, Malaika Myers will retire as...

HREC Arranges Sale of Three Sonesta Hotels in Michigan

DENVER, Colorado; DETROIT, Michigan; ATLANTA, Georgia—HREC Investment Advisors announced it has arranged the sale of the 94-room Sonesta Simply Suites Detroit - Novi and the...

Populus Seattle to Open in Spring 2025

SEATTLE, Washington—Populus Hotels, a collection of carbon-positive hotels, announced the debut of Populus Seattle, opening late spring 2025. Formerly known as the Westland Building, the...

Crescent Hotels & Resorts Announces Management of Two DoubleTree by Hilton Properties in Tulsa, Oklahoma

FAIRFAX, Virginia—Crescent Hotels & Resorts announced the expansion of its portfolio management of two DoubleTree by Hilton properties: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa - Warren Place and DoubleTree by...

Residence Inn Atlanta Midtown/Georgia Tech Unveils Updates

ATLANTA, Georgia—The Residence Inn Atlanta Midtown/Georgia Tech, owned by RLJ Lodging Trust and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, announced a fresh new look following recent renovations...