Red Lion Hotels and Inns vs Comfort Suites Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Red Lion Hotels and Inns vs Comfort Suites including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Red Lion Hotels and Inns Franchise
Comfort Suites Franchise
Investment $8,431,750 - $36,598,000$307,125 - $9,243,275
Franchise Fee $40,000 - $75,000$50,000
Royalty Fee 5%5.65%
Advertising Fee 3.5%3.85%
Year Founded 1959-
Year Franchised 1999-
Term Of Agreement -20 years
Term Of Agreement -20 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Red Lion Hotels and Inns Franchise
Comfort Suites Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
Red Lion Hotels and Inns Franchise
Comfort Suites Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees -/--/-
Start-up Costs -/--/-
Equipment Yes/--/-
Inventory -/--/-
Receivables -/--/-
Payroll -/--/-

Training & Support
 
Red Lion Hotels and Inns Franchise
Comfort Suites Franchise
Training On-The-Job Training: Optional Classroom Training: Optional -
Support Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform -
Marketing Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
Operations --

Expansion Plans
 
Red Lion Hotels and Inns Franchise
Comfort Suites Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion Yes-

Company Overviews

About Red Lion Hotels and Inns

Results Oriented. Growth Driven. With over 50 properties open or under development, Red Lion has positioned itself for sustainable growth. Important to the chain's lasting success is the redefinition of brand segmentation and strengthened brand identity for both Red Lion Hotels and Red Lion Inns & Suites, along with the addition of the Leo Hotel Collection, a collection of unique, boutique, historic and/or destination hotels. Publicly traded on the NYSE (RLH), Red Lion is an owner, operator and franchisor. Red Lion grew out of the Pacific Northwest with historic roots dating back more than 50 years and is showing hotel owners how they can tap into their deep experience. More hoteliers are finding that franchise partners with skin in the game truly have their franchisees' return on investment in mind. As owners, Red Lion never asks their franchisees to do anything that as a company they would not do for their own properties. The biggest benefit for hotel owners is the ability to plug their properties into a finely tuned franchise system that offers franchisees the highest level of support including access to industry leading technology, business intelligence and revenue management systems. With a keen eye on the market, Red Lion's new consumer website creates direct interaction with guests, offers local experiences and provides an improved booking engine. The locally inspired experience carries through to the service culture at the property and brings the website's local focus full circle, creating a impactful point of differentiation that helps build guest loyalty.

 Join a growing brand that takes pride in ownership too. Which Red Lion is right for you? If you are an owner of an independent hotel, or have a franchise agreement about to expire and would like to review franchise Opportunities, please contact: Mike Castro, Vice President Brand Services Red Lion Hotels Corporation 201 W North River Dr., Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99201 509-777-6326 (office) 509-464-9896 (mobile) 509-325-7324 (fax) [email protected] Steve KrebsSteve Krebs, Director, Lodging Development Red Lion Hotels Corporation 201 W North River Dr., Suite 100, Spokane, WA 99201 505-306-0073 (mobile) 509-325-7324 (fax) [email protected]

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a 125-room Red Lion Inn & Suites Hotel with a minimal food and beverage offering is estimated to range between $8,431,750 to $12,448,000 for new development and $586,500 to $2,709,000 for conversion hotels. These amounts include $65,500 to $89,500 that must be paid to the franchisor. These amounts do not include the cost of purchasing or leasing land or any real estate taxes.
The total investment necessary to begin operation of a 250-room full service Red Lion Hotel, including meeting space and catering service, is estimated to range between $28,594,750 to $36,598,000 for new development and $1,091,500 to $4,562,000 for conversion hotels. These amounts include $105,500 to $129,500 that must be paid to the franchisor. These amounts do not include the cost of purchasing or leasing land or any real estate taxes.

About Comfort Suites

Choice Hotel's premier midscale, limited service, all-suites brand.
 
The total investment necessary to convert an existing hotel and begin operation of an 80-room COMFORT hotel franchise is between $307,125-$1,967,495. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a newly constructed 80-room COMFORT INN or COMFORT INN & SUITES hotel franchise is between $4,638,625-$8,393,895, and the total investment necessary to begin operation of a newly constructed 86-room COMFORT SUITES hotel franchise is between $5,119,845-$9,243,275. This includes the following fees that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates as follows: an affiliation fee of $500 per room for new franchises, $750 per room for transfers and renewals ($50,000 minimum for new franchises, $65,000 minimum for transfers and renewals); a property management system software license and systems training fee of between $10,750 and $14,750; and orientation and hospitality training fees of between $0 and $3,245 per person. These sums do not include the cost of purchasing or leasing land or any real estate taxes.