Product Code Database
Choice Hotels International, Inc. is an American multinational hospitality company based in North Bethesda, Maryland. The company, which is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, owns various hotel brands ranging from upscale to economy. As of the third quarter 2023, Choice Hotels franchised nearly 7,500 hotels, representing nearly 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories.
In 1957, Stewart W. Bainum Sr., who ran a Washington, D.C., plumbing business, opened his first hotel on New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland (currently, the hotel is located in Takoma Park, Maryland city proper). He later franchised his first Quality Courts motel in 1963. In 1968, Bainum merged his business, Park Consolidated Motels, Inc., with Quality Courts Motels, subsequently assuming the role of president and CEO, and moved the company's headquarters from Daytona Beach to Silver Spring, Maryland.
Lodging Magazine wrote that, by 1969, Quality Courts Motels was the world's "largest association of independent motel operators". The company changed its name to Quality Inns International in 1972.
In January 1987, Quality Inns established a partnership with Associated Inns and Restaurants Company of America (AIRCOA Holdings), a Denver-based firm that was one of the largest independent hotel management companies in the United States. "Hotel firm doubles rooms in its January acquisitions", The Island Packet, February 6, 1987, page 4-B. Quality Inns agreed to merge its upscale Quality Royale brand with AIRCOA's Clarion Collection,Cason, Albert. "Associated Inns makes acquisitions", The Tennessean, February 20, 1987, page 3-B. which had originally been established in 1983 as a referral chain.Cason, Albert. "Maxwell House Hotel joining 10 others in Clarion Collection", The Tennessean, June 28, 1983, page 7-C. The Clarion brand thus replaced Quality Royale as one of Quality Inns' three franchise offerings.
In September 1987, the company announced plans for a lower-price chain with smaller rooms called McSleep Inn, intended to compete with chains like Motel 6. Rather than converting existing hotels to the brand, McSleep Inn locations would be purpose-built to keep costs to a minimum. In announcing the new chain, the CEO of Quality Inns stated that "obviously the name is a takeoff on McDonald's", sparking a legal battle over whether McSleep Inn was infringing on the McDonald's trademark.Brummer, Alex. "A legal (prefix deleted) battle is brewing", The Guardian, September 22, 1987, page 22. McDonald's won the ensuing court case in September 1988, forcing Quality Inns to change the name of the chain, whose first locations were then under construction, to Sleep Inn. Additionally, Microtel Inn and Suites founder Loren Ansley claimed that Quality Inns stole his business model, which he had presented to Quality executives before deciding to start his own chain.Vellinga, Mary Lynne. "Hotel developer is thinking small", Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, February 2, 1988, pages 8D and 7D. The first Sleep Inn location opened in Salisbury, North Carolina, on May 15, 1989. "New hotel open", Salisbury Post, May 21, 1989, page 4F.
Bainum Sr. led Quality Inns until 1987, when his son, Stewart W. Bainum Jr., took over the role of chairman and chief executive. Bainum's other business, Manor Care, Inc., which owned and managed nursing homes, bought Quality Inns in 1990. In July of that year, the company acquired the Rodeway Inn chain from Prime Motor Inns, making Quality Inns the largest hotel franchisor in the world.Mencke, Claire. "Prime Motor sells Rodeway", Daily Record, July 6, 1990, page D6. In August, Quality Inns bought Econo Lodge of America, owners of the Econo Lodge and Friendship Inns chains.Altaner, David. "$60 million deal to link hotel chains", South Florida Sun Sentinel, August 18, 1990, page 11B. Shortly thereafter, the company's name was changed to Choice Hotels.
Choice Hotels created a joint venture with Canadian motel chain Journey's End in 1993, turning that company's properties into "Comfort Inn by Journey's End" and "Quality Inn by Journey's End".McDowell, Edwin. "Choice and Journey's End In Canadian Hotel Venture", The New York Times, April 22, 1993, Web. Retrieved May 30, 2024. The "by Journey's End" branding was later dropped.
Manor Care spun off its hotels business in 1996, and Choice Hotels became a publicly traded company, holding an initial public offering in 1997. The new company was exclusively responsible for franchising and did not own any of its hotel locations; all hotels formerly owned by Manor Care were split off under a separate company, Sunburst Hospitality Corporation, which became the largest franchisee of Choice Hotels brands. In 1996, Choice Hotels introduced its first extended-stay hotel brand, MainStay Suites, which was advertised as the first mid-price extended-stay chain. The first MainStay Suites location opened in Plano, Texas in November 1996. In 1997, the Friendship Inn brand was eliminated, with its locations being converted to the Rodeway brand. "Choice Hotels International, Inc. 1997 Annual Report to Stockholders", via EDGAR, Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
In July 1998, Choice Hotels created a partnership with Flag International Ltd., the largest hotel chain in Australia, allowing Flag to use the Clarion, Quality, and Comfort brands.Jacobs, Judy. "Choice, Flag Hotels Unite In Australian Alliance", Business Travel News, July 19, 1998, Web. Retrieved May 30, 2024. The brands quickly outstripped the Flag Hotel chain in popularity in Australia, and Choice Hotels acquired Flag International outright in 2003. "Name Change for Flag Hotels, An Australian Institution for 40 Years| Flag Choice Hotels Renamed Choice Hotels Australasia", Choice Hotels Australasia, September 7, 2004, via Hospitality Net. Retrieved May 30, 2024. The last remaining Flag Hotels were converted to other Choice brands in 2008. "Choice Hotels International, Inc. 2007 Annual Report to Stockholders", via EDGAR, Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
In January 2005, the company announced the creation of its new Cambria Suites brand. The Cambria brand was created as an upscale, limited-service hotel chain marketed to business travelers. The first Cambria Suites location opened near Boise Airport in Boise, Idaho in April 2007.Estrella, Joe. "CEO on hotel chain launch: We love Boise", Idaho Statesman, April 20, 2007, Business pages 1 and 5.
In September 2005, Choice Hotels acquired the Atlanta-based Suburban Franchise Holding Company, giving the company the franchise rights to the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel brand.Murray, Barbra. "Choice Hotels Acquisition of Suburban Franchise Tops $10M", GlobeSt, October 3, 2005. Retrieved June 3, 2024. The chain was originally founded as Suburban Lodges of America in 1987. "Now that Forest Park will have a hotel, it has no reservations about a hotel-motel tax", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 24, 1987, page 2-C. The company-owned Suburban Lodges were purchased by InTown Suites in 2002, while the franchise locations became Suburban Extended Stay Hotels. "Niche hotels' business steady", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 20, 2002, page D4. In 2022, the chain was rebranded as Suburban Studios. "Choice Hotels Unveils Next Generation for Extended Stay Brand: Suburban Studios", Choice Hotels, March 16, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
In 2008, Choice Hotels was the first industry chain to establish a "soft brand", Ascend Hotel Collection. The Ascend Hotel Collection includes upscale boutique and historic hotels whose owners are subject to fewer fixed brand standards compared with Choice's other brands.
In October 2010, officials in Maryland and Montgomery County announced that Choice Hotels International would move its headquarters from Silver Spring, to a new facility in Rockville Town Center in Rockville. Groundbreaking occurred in August 2011, and Choice Hotels completed the move into the new headquarters in June 2013.
Throughout its history, Choice Hotels introduced new features into the hotel industry, including having all hotels include non-smoking rooms, 24-hour-a-day toll-free reservations, Internet-based property management systems, and the industry's first iPhone application. The company's technological developments also led it to create a division called SkyTouch Technology in 2013, which markets Choice Hotels' property management system to other hotel companies.
In 2014, Choice Hotels invested millions of dollars to begin a multi-year process to develop the industry's first new global reservations system and distribution platform in 27 years. A cloud-based system, , launched in 2018. The system can integrate with voice search and artificial intelligence.
In 2018, Choice Hotels acquired WoodSpring Suites, an extended-stay economy hotel brand. Adding WoodSpring's 240 hotels across the U.S. tripled the number of extended-stay hotels in the company's portfolio to around 350 properties.
, Choice Hotels-branded properties are located in more than 40 countries and territories, including hotels in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Scandinavia. Choice Hotels entered into an agreement with Spanish hotel operator Sercotel in 2018 to increase Choice's footprint in Spain and Latin America.
In September 2018, Choice Hotels announced Clarion Pointe, an extension of the Clarion brand for locations with limited service. "Choice Hotels Launches Clarion Pointe", Choice Hotels, September 20, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2024. The first Clarion Pointe hotel opened on May 1, 2019, in Sulphur Springs, Texas, converted from a former Holiday Inn Express. "First Clarion Pointe Hotel Opens in Texas", Choice Hotels, May 1, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
Choice Hotels announced the creation of a new brand of midscale extended stay hotels, Everhome Suites, in January 2020. "Choice Hotels Introduces Everhome Suites To Help Developers Build A Strong Portfolio And Empower Guests' Success On The Road", Choice Hotels, January 27, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2024. The first Everhome Suites location opened on September 29, 2022, in Riverside, California, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Inaugural Everhome Suites Hotel Debuts in California", Choice Hotels, September 29, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
On June 13, 2022, Choice Hotels agreed to purchase Radisson Hotels for $675 million, acquiring the Radisson franchise agreements, operations and intellectual property in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
In October 2023, Choice Hotels announced a proposal to purchase all outstanding shares of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts for $90 per share. That offer came after Wyndham declined a direct acquisition bid from Choice.
In 2021, Choice Hotels and Penn National Gaming entered into a strategic partnership to allow guests to book one of many Penn properties directly through Choice.
| Park Plaza | Upper upscale | 2022 (acquired) | 1 |
| Radisson Blu | Upper upscale | 2022 (acquired) | 10 |
| Radisson Red | Upscale | 2022 (acquired) | 4 |
| Radisson Hotels (core) | Upscale | 2022 (acquired) | 111 |
| Radisson Individuals | Upscale soft brand | 2022 (acquired) | 9 |
| Radisson Collection | Upscale soft brand | 2024 | 0 |
| Cambria Hotels | Upscale select service | 2007 | 74 |
| Ascend Hotel Collection | Upscale soft brand | 2008 | 363 |
| Radisson Inn & Suites | Upper midscale | 2024 | 0 |
| Comfort Inn & Suites | Upper midscale (economy in Norway, Sweden, and Lithuania) | 1981 | 2,162 |
| Country Inn & Suites | Upper midscale | 2022 (acquired) | 434 |
| Park Inn by Radisson | Midscale | 2022 (acquired) | 16 |
| Clarion | Midscale (upscale in Australia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland) | 1987 (acquired) | 246 |
| Clarion Pointe | Midscale select service | 2019 | 60 |
| Quality Inn | Midscale | 1939 | 1,902 |
| Sleep Inn | Midscale | 1989 | 452 |
| Everhome Suites | Midscale extended stay | 2022 | 1 |
| MainStay Suites | Midscale extended stay | 1996 | 127 |
| Suburban Studios | Economy extended stay | 2005 (acquired) | 104 |
| WoodSpring Suites | Economy extended stay | 2018 (acquired) | 235 |
| Econo Lodge | Economy | 1990 (acquired) | 732 |
| Rodeway Inn | Economy | 1990 (acquired) | 480 |
|
|
