Source: Choice

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A proven leader in the upper midscale lodging segment, the iconic Comfort Hotel brand finished 2017 by opening 58 hotels and increasing the pipeline to nearly 300, one of the largest in its history. Franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest hotel companies, the new Comfort hotels reflect the brand's transformation and new design, which includes a refreshed, modern look and feel.

"Opening more than one Comfort hotel per week in 2017 speaks to the demand and leadership of the brand in the upper midscale category," said Brian Quinn, vice president, franchise development, Choice Hotels. "Both developers and guests are seeing the impact of the recent improvements we have made to the Comfort brand, and we're excited to continue to take the brand to the next level."

In 2016, the Comfort brand launched the multi-phased Move to Modern initiative to enhance all hotels in the portfolio and deliver a better, more consistent experience for guests. Encompassing public spaces and guest rooms, Move to Modern has resulted in hundreds of renovations nationwide and affirms the brand's commitment to ensuring that every Comfort hotel has an up-to-date, refreshed look and feel. The brand's transformation strategy has resulted in an increased pipeline, with more than 140 franchise agreements executed in 2017.

"The Comfort transformation has positioned the brand for continued growth, and the guest response to everything we're doing – from welcome to goodbye – has been overwhelmingly positive," said Anne Smith, vice president, brand management and design. "We started 2017 by offering guests 100-percent smoke-free rooms at all Comfort hotels across the country, worked hard with our franchisees on our Move to Modern initiative, and ended the year with 58 new hotels opening."

The most recent additions to the Comfort Hotel portfolio can be found across the United States and are comprised of new construction, rebranding and conversion projects, including:

  • Comfort Inn inGreenville, SC – 120 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn inMatteson, IL – 108 guest rooms
  • Comfort Suites inOklahoma City, OK – 67 guest rooms
  • Comfort Suites inNorth Charleston, SC – 98 guest rooms
  • Comfort Suites inSt. George, UT – 91 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inHouston, TX – 80 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites at Salt Lake City Airport, UT – 110 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inBaton Rouge, LA – 77 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inMetairie, LA – 151 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inWichita, KS – 99 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inTavares, FL – 80 guest rooms
  • Comfort Inn & Suites inWilder, KY – 74 guest rooms

There are more than 1,800 Comfort hotels open across North America in popular travel destinations, everywhere travelers want to stay.

For more information on Comfort hotel development opportunities, please visit https://choicehotelsdevelopment.com/comfort/ to learn more.

About Choice Hotels®

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The challenger in the upscale segment and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This communication includes "forward-looking statements" about future events, including anticipated development and hotel openings. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including construction delays, availability and cost of financing and the other "Risk Factors" described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any of which could cause actual results to be materially different from our expectations.