Three brands in Choice Hotels International’s portfolio have announced big milestones this week: Economy brand Rodeway Inn has opened its 600th hotel; midscale brand Sleep Inn has surpassed 400 properties open worldwide; and upper-midscale brand Comfort Hotel announced that on top of opening 58 hotels last year, it increased its pipeline to nearly 300 hotels in 2017.
Rodeway Inn Opens 600th Hotel
Rodeway Inn opened its 600th hotel in Osceola, Arkansas near the Mississippi River, Arkansas Northeastern College, and several historical sites. The Rodeway Inn Osceola is owned by Yogesh and Leena Shah—their third franchised property with Choice Hotels.
“The opening of the 600th Rodeway Inn hotel reflects a continued commitment to offer both guests and our franchisees an affordable lodging option in key locations across the country,” says Craig Mustard, head of economy brands at Choice Hotels. “The Rodeway Inn brand is designed to provide guests and owners with exceptional value and a simple stay.”
Sleep Inn Brand Surpasses 400 Properties
Choice’s Sleep Inn brand has opened more than 400 properties around the world and increased its pipeline to more than 140 hotels. In 2018, the brand is projected to open hotels in several major markets, including Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, and Jacksonville. In addition, Choice also recently reached a milestone with the opening of its 10th Sleep Inn and MainStay Suites dual-brand hotel. The company has more than 70 dual-brand projects in the pipeline.
The brand introduced an evolved prototype in 2016 that has an efficient footprint and an updated design focused on helping guests get a good night’s sleep—from the nature-inspired look to the Dream Cup ‘Perfect Sleep Tea’ offering and exclusive ZENSES bath line.
“As owners’ expectations and travelers’ preferences evolve, the Sleep Inn brand is adapting with them,” says Anne Smith, vice president, brand management and design, Choice Hotels. “Our cost-effective prototype and simply stylish design allow guests to ‘Dream Better Here’ and provide franchisees with a great investment that never goes out of style.”
Comfort Hotel Tops 300 Hotels in its Pipeline
Choice’s Comfort Hotel brand finished 2017 by opening 58 hotels and increasing the pipeline to nearly 300, one of the largest in the franchised brand’s history. The new Comfort hotels reflect the brand’s transformation and new design, which includes a refreshed, modern look and feel.
In 2016, the Comfort brand launched the multi-phased ‘Move to Modern’ initiative to enhance all hotels in the portfolio and deliver a better, more consistent experience for guests. Encompassing public spaces and guestrooms, the initiative has resulted in hundreds of renovations nationwide and more than 140 franchise agreements executed in 2017.
“The Comfort transformation has positioned the brand for continued growth, and the guest response to everything we’re doing–from welcome to goodbye–has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Anne Smith, vice president, brand management, and design. “We started 2017 by offering guests 100-percent smoke-free rooms at all Comfort hotels across the country, worked hard with our franchisees on our ‘Move to Modern’ initiative, and ended the year with 58 new hotels opening.”
Choice has more than 1,800 Comfort hotels open across North America.
