Sonesta International Hotels Corporation has added 50 new franchise hotels with Sonesta brands since the beginning of this year. Sonesta began franchising Sonesta Hotels, Sonesta Select, Sonesta ES Suites and Sonesta Simply Suites in September 2021.
Sonesta has franchised hotels with 20 different ownership groups, ranging from hospitality equity funds to individual owner/operators, all of whom are new Sonesta franchisees. These new franchise owners have collectively committed to franchise an additional 20 hotels using the Sonesta brand within the next 24-36 months.
“Sonesta’s recent growth in total number of rooms and the launch of Sonesta Franchising has driven strong interest from potential franchisees,” said Keith Pierce, EVP/president, franchise & development, Sonesta. “Sonesta is attracting new franchisees to fly its flag at a time when many other hospitality companies are shrinking and we are providing additional opportunities for growth through development commitments for our franchise business.”
Adam Suleman, principal, Equinox Hospitality, said, “With a franchisee-friendly model, given their owner/operator mentality, Sonesta has offered us a franchising approach that is both seamless and flexible. When considering partners, Sonesta stood out with an impressive franchising infrastructure for a new brand and the opportunity to differentiate our hotels in a crowded marketplace.”
Brian Quinn, chief development officer, Sonesta, said, “Our principal commitment is establishing strong relationships and increasing engagement among franchise groups. Our efforts are comprehensive and focused on nurturing partnerships with teams at each of the 50 new franchise properties and those that join us in the future.”
Sonesta Franchising debuted in the U.S. in September of last year and includes the established Sonesta Hotels & Resorts and Sonesta ES Suites brands, the recently introduced Sonesta Select and Sonesta Simply Suites brands and eight Red Lion brands.
Today, Sonesta offers a complete platform of franchise services, hotel operations and franchisee support, featuring industry-leading brands with a wide range of hotel service levels to meet travelers’ needs, according to the company. Sonesta is rapidly expanding and has innovative franchising models and brands ranging from lower economy to upscale. Currently, 12 of its 16 brands are available for domestic franchising.
