For the consumer promotion, Wingate Inn hotel guests who pay with an American Express Card from September 29 to December 31, 2000, will be eligible to receive free software on topics ranging from cooking to Internet training to golf. When guests receive their software, it will include a coupon that for a free second night of a weekend stay at any Wingate Inn hotel from January to March 2001.

During the three-month promotion, guests can choose from the following software titles: Internet Training, Complete Business Plan, Crosswords Premium, Print Master Gold, Webster's 2000 Encyclopedia, Joy of Cooking, Physician's Home Assistant, HarborTown Golf Game, Ultimate 8 Ball, and Home Depot 1-2-3 Home Improvement Plan. To redeem the software offers, guests will mail an order form along with proof of their paid stay with an American Express card. The software title and free-night-stay coupon will then be shipped within two to three weeks. There is no software or free-night-stay redemption limit for qualifying guests.

"This promotion gives the brand an opportunity to reward guests who pay with their American Express Cards while encouraging repeat stays at Wingate Inn hotels," says Keith J. Pierce, president and CEO of Wingate Inns International, Inc. "It also provides Wingate Inn guests, particularly business travelers, with a value-added incentive and encourages them to stay with us when they travel for leisure on the weekends. The promotion creates a winning situation for everyone, including guests, American Express, individual Wingate Inn hotel owners, and the entire brand."

For travel agencies, Wingate Inns will have a monthly booking promotion based on roomnight productivity during the American Express promotion time period (September 29 to December 31, 2000). "In October, November and December, the agency that books and consumes the most Wingate Inn hotel roomnights each month will be awarded a Palm Pilot," explains Lisa Theodore, vice president of marketing for Wingate Inns International, Inc. "At the end of the year, we'll look at the overall booked and consumed roomnights during the three months and reward the top three agencies with $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second and $500 for third place."

Pierce explains the importance of travel agencies to Wingate Inns, "The travel agent community has been instrumental to the success of our individual Wingate Inn hotels and the entire chain. Agents book high-rated business, they bring in the corporate traveler and they've been a tremendous asset to the brand. This promotion is a way for us to show our gratitude and commitment to their continued success."

Wingate Inns is an all-new construction hotel chain that opened its first franchised hotel in July 1996. Its focused service, upper mid-market franchised hotels feature sophisticated, consumer-based technology and comfortable, oversized rooms that were created in response to business travelers' needs. All Wingate Inn hotels are independently owned and operated under franchise agreements with Wingate Inns International, Inc.

Reservations can be made by calling Wingate Inns' toll-free reservation center at 1.800.228.1000 or through the company's website at www.wingateinns.com. Wingate Inns International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation [NYSE: CD] .