AFM Hospitality Corporation Names Atlanta-Based StayOnline Its Exclusive Provider of Wireless High-Speed Internet Access & In-Room PC's
TORONTO — AFM Hospitality Corporation
"AFM had previously selected StayOnline for its Ramada and Howard Johnson brands," said Stephen H. Phillips, AFM's
Vice Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. "We are now expanding our relationship to provide the same outstanding amenity to guests of the Aston, Best Inns, Hawthorn Suites, Knights Inn, LaQuinta, Park Inn, Park Plaza and Villager Lodge brands throughout Canada."
The first of the new brands to be equipped with the StayOnline system will be the recently rebranded Park Plaza Hotel in Richmond (Vancouver international airport), BC, formerly the Delta Pacific Resort & Convention Centre. With 228 guest rooms and suites and nearly 30,000 square feet of convention, meeting and banquet space, the Park Plaza is one of the premier meeting hotels in the Vancouver airport area. The adjoining Ramada Plaza Hotel also will receive wireless high-speed Internet access in a select number of guest rooms.
Through its subsidiaries, AFM Hospitality operates or has open and/or executed franchise agreements with 170 hotels in North America, representing an inventory of nearly 20,000 hotel rooms. The company also owns AFM Preferred Alliances Group (formerly HFS Purchasing Services Canada), AFM Asset Management Inc., Northwest Lodging International (USA) Inc. and Northwest Lodging International (Canada) Inc.
"We are constantly searching for the best solutions providers to partner with our lodging licensees," added Phillips. "With StayOnline, we are forging a true broadband partnership that promises to grow way beyond basic high-speed Internet access into both a major business booster and unique guest experience enhancer."
Glen A. Blake, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AFM Hospitality, said all franchisees of AFM franchised brands will be excited to offer StayOnline's unique wireless connectivity throughout their guestrooms and meeting rooms — "because it makes sense for all involved, and will help maintain brand consistency throughout the country.
"In addition to giving our guests wireless high-speed access, this program also will provide our franchisees with state-of-the-art in-room PC's in 25 percent of their guestrooms, as well as a supply of wireless plug-and-play antennas for laptop users available at properties' front desks for added convenience," Blake said.
StayOnline was selected after a thorough review of competitive companies, according to Blake. "We conducted extensive research on several Internet connectivity suppliers, and our success indicators kept directing us to StayOnline's unique solutions and business models," he said.
StayOnline's high-speed wireless access solution gives guests and hotel operators the best value in high-speed Internet connectivity available, according to Antonio DiMilia, President of StayOnline. "By offering StayOnline's expanded wireless infrastructure, properties are uniquely positioned to take full advantage of leading edge hospitality tools and technologies - both today and going forward.
"The StayOnline solution not only provides AFM franchisees with a very robust connectivity environment, but it also positions the division's properties to survive and thrive in today's increasingly competitive lodging climate," said DiMilia. "StayOnline also helps hotels "piggyback" on wireless networks to fully leverage new management tools designed to cut costs and boost productivity in operations, guest services, sales and marketing, and maintenance and security."
About AFM Hospitality
Through its subsidiaries, AFM Hospitality Corporation, which also owns HFS Purchasing Services Canada, AFM Asset Management Inc., Northwest Lodging International (USA) Inc. and Northwest Lodging International (Canada) Inc., is the exclusive Canadian Master Franchisor for ASTON, Best Inns, Hawthorn Suites, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Park Plaza, Park Inn, Ramada and Villager Lodge and La Quinta® Inns. AFM Hospitality Corporation operates or has open and/or executed franchise agreements with 170 hotels in North America, representing an inventory of nearly 20,000 hotel rooms. The company's primary focus is to increase the number of hotels franchised by the respective brands, franchise new brands, build the portfolio of hotel management agreements, and acquire other franchise businesses related to the hospitality industry, while making available property management services. AFM Hospitality Corporation is a publicly traded company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
About StayOnline
Based in Atlanta, StayOnline provides state-of-the-art turn-key wireless high-speed Internet access/in-room PC solutions for the lodging industry. StayOnline is the exclusive "Brand Standard" high-speed access provider for all Hawthorn Suites hotels in North America as well as the exclusive Preferred Alliance wireless high-speed Internet partner for the ASTONÒ, Best InnsÒ, Howard JohnsonÒ, Knights InnÒ, Park Plaza, Park Inn, RamadaÒ, VillagerÒ Lodge and La Quinta® Inns brands throughout Canada. In addition, StayOnline boasts an impressive customer base, including properties in the Sheraton, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, Hilton, and Crowne Plaza lodging brands. StayOnline's new StaySecure Web-enabled video surveillance solution allows properties to piggyback on the company's wireless network for cost-effective real-time and archived security videos. For additional information on StayOnline and its lodging solutions, please visit