ROCKVILLE, MD—Choice Hotels International Inc. has continued to transform the Comfort brand through strategic moves and substantial investment.
The Comfort brand plans to open more than one hotel per week this year with a pipeline of nearly 300 properties, 80% of which are new-construction. From 2013 through 2019, Choice, along with its franchisees, will have invested $2.5 billion in its flagship brand driven by the Move to Modern initiative, a system-wide update to public spaces and guestrooms.
“The Comfort brand has undergone a renaissance,” said Anne Smith, VP, brand management and design, Choice Hotels. “With over 1,800 properties across North America, we’re everywhere guests want to travel, whether on leisure or business, and we look forward to bringing the brand to even more major markets in 2018. Our decision to commit to improving the Comfort brand was the right one as the transformation has fortified the brand’s position in the upper-midscale segment and led to one of the largest pipelines in its history.”
Choice plans to bring the Comfort brand to several primary markets in 2018, including Austin, TX; Asheville, NC; Columbus, OH; Dallas; Denver; Nashville, TN; New York; Oklahoma City; Philadelphia; and San Diego. The recent Comfort hotel openings are located across the country, and include a mix of new-construction and conversion projects:
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Oklahoma City – 87 guestrooms
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Humble, TX – 61 guestrooms
- Comfort Inn & Suites in Niagara Falls, NY – 82 guestrooms
- Comfort Inn in College Park, GA – 127 guestrooms
- Comfort Inn in Raleigh, NC – 128 guestrooms
“The Comfort brand is a proven leader in the upper-midscale segment and there is continued runway for growth throughout the country,” said Brian Quinn, head of development, new-construction brands, Choice Hotels. “Developer interest in the Comfort brand remains strong due to the brand’s prototype, value proposition and strong return on investment.”
