DALLAS and LOS ANGELES—G6 Hospitality, owner and franchisor of the Motel 6 brand and the extended-stay brand Studio 6, has opened its 1,000th franchise location and is anticipating more development activity in 2019.
“We accomplished a great deal in 2018 that helped us achieve year-over-year growth. I’m very optimistic about our year ahead. We have one of the largest pipelines of any economy brand in the industry and expect it to continue to grow with the approaches we’ve been taking to make an even bigger impact in 2019,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO at G6 Hospitality. “With our continued focus on selective conversions, aggressive renovation schedules, and plans to invest in key properties, we will continue to generate growing interest in our brand with new and existing franchisees.”
In 2018, the company opened 127 properties and added 85 new or first-time franchise partners. G6 Hospitality has 179 more hotels in the pipeline, including 60 new construction projects. Part of G6 Hospitality’s growth is due to the 13 newly opened dual-brand locations in 2018 with an additional 28 hotels in the pipeline. Motel 6/Studio 6 Austin South-Airport will be the first purpose-built dual-brand hotel in the company’s history when it opens in February 2019.
G6 Hospitality unveiled a new design concept at American Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) that allows owners to build a Motel 6, a Studio 6, or a dual-brand location. The new prototype makes future conversions from a single to a dual-brand property more efficient if market conditions warrant the additional product.
According to Mike McGeehan, chief development officer at G6 Hospitality, the company has seen a great deal of interest in the new concept already. “The dual-brand offering is very inviting to developers because it gives us the opportunity to attract two different guest segments to fill rooms,” said McGeehan. “At G6 Hospitality, we have a competitive advantage being one of the few franchisors that can offer a dual-brand option in our segment.”
“We’ve reimagined and upgraded what a Motel 6 or Studio 6 looks and feels like, but we’ll always remain true to our brand promise,” said Palleschi. “Business and leisure travelers will continue to have a consistent brand experience in a clean, comfortable room at an affordable rate. Meanwhile, our formula for success stays the same for our franchise partners, with industry-leading returns.”
G6 Hospitality created the new model with franchisees in mind, focusing on construction and operational efficiencies while still delivering a contemporary economy lodging experience for guests. Enhancements include the introduction of multifunctional environments, a more contemporary design, and more natural light.
In addition to new construction, the company is investing in rejuvenating key corporate-owned and managed properties in 2019, including the original Motel 6 location on the Santa Barbara, Calif. beachfront, San Diego, Las Vegas Strip, Jackson Hole, Wyo., Jacksonville, Fla., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
