Choice revamps biggest hotel brand
Choice Hotels International has announced plans to invest US$40 million in an overhaul of its largest brand, Comfort.
The hotelier started revamping its 1,900 US-based Comfort properties last year, and the new financial commitment, announced by Choice’s President & CEO Stephen P. Joyce this week, will enable the work to continue to the work. Choice currently operates a portfolio of nearly 2,500 Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites properties worldwide.
“Comfort is the engine of Choice Hotels and an iconic brand. More than 72m people stayed at a Comfort-branded hotel in the United States last year and the brand continues to be a favourite among travellers,” said Joyce. “Today, we are putting our own balance sheet behind the brand in a monumental way. Hotel renovations improve guest satisfaction and through this investment we will accelerate improvement of the brand’s product quality and consistency, guest satisfaction and brand performance.”
Choice operates its hotels under a franchise model, so franchisees of Comfort-branded properties can apply for a piece of the US$40m fund to undertake their own renovations. Hotels receiving funds will not owe anything back to Choice so long as they have not defaulted under the franchise agreement.
“This is another pivotal component to our multi-year, multi-pronged strategy that’s making Comfort better than ever,” said Alexandra Jaritz, Choice’s senior vice president for brand strategy & marketing. “We can say this with absolute confidence because we’re seeing the results. Our guests are already enjoying the great new things they are seeing in refreshed Comfort hotels.
“We want to keep the momentum going and provide an even greater guest experience at more of Comfort hotels at an even faster pace,” Jaritz added. “Choice is committed to this brand, and we’re working with our franchisees and sharing some of the cost to create a stronger Comfort brand for the long run.”
The brand renovation programme builds on the recent repositioning of the Comfort brands under the ‘Truly Yours’ strapline. Renovations will include areas such as carpets, furniture and mattresses. The brand has also launched a new ‘Your Morning Breakfast’ programme, which includes changes to breakfast menus and displays. Hotels have also added 154,000 new flat-screen TVs and are in the process of rolling out one million new pillows and 230,000 new beds.
The company is planning to complete all renovation work by 30 September 2014.