America's Best Inns & Suites vs Le Meridien Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of America's Best Inns & Suites vs Le Meridien including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
America's Best Inns & Suites Franchise
Le Meridien Franchise
Investment $109,250 - $5,836,500$61,886,490 - $96,761,490
Franchise Fee $15,000N/A
Royalty Fee 17.50 -$22.50/room/mo.-
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19701997
Year Franchised 19822005
Term Of Agreement --
Term Of Agreement --
Renewal Fee 50% of then-current fran. fee-


Business Experience Requirements
 
America's Best Inns & Suites Franchise
Le Meridien Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
America's Best Inns & Suites Franchise
Le Meridien Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/No-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support
 
America's Best Inns & Suites Franchise
Le Meridien Franchise
Training --
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
Operations

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6 - 12

Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed.

-

Expansion Plans
 
America's Best Inns & Suites Franchise
Le Meridien Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion NoYes

Company Overviews

About America's Best Inns & Suites

America's Best Inns & Suites is a high quality mid-level limited service hotel brand with locations throughout the United States. With 102 hotels open and 5 under development as of September 1, 2004, America's Best Inns & Suites continues to expand around the country. America's Best Inns & Suites is primarily a conversion brand for existing hotel owners looking for a better way to do business. America's Best Inns & Suites offers a solution to independent hotel owners looking for a franchise brand or for current franchise hotel owners looking to reposition their property in the market place. Multi-unit operators disenchanted with the direction of their current brand should also consider America's Best Inns & Suites, subject to the requirements of their existing franchise agreement. US Franchise Systems, franchisor for the brand, is a recognized leader in the hotel industry, with 3 growing hotel brands and a reputation for treating our franchisees fairly. Noted for our strong relationships with and support for our franchisees, US Franchise Systems was founded on the principle that franchisees are our partners and they are in business for themselves, not by themselves.

About Le Meridien

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Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by nearly 100 properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. With more than 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy. Through creation of the LM100 artist community, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts , concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a newly-constructed Le Méridien hotel, excluding the cost of real estate and related costs (building permit, tap, and impact fees), ranges from $61,886,490 to $96,761,490 for a 250-guestroom hotel. This includes approximately $317,000 to
$399,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate.