Choice Hotels International

The group debuted in 1939 under the Quality Courts brand, a network of motels based in Florida brings together hotel owners that wish to guarantee their clients a standard quality of service, and mutually share their client resources. The brand became an association in 1941 and then a company in 1963, the brand developed as a franchise. It was launched internationally in 1970 with initial openings in Canada and Germany.

From 1972 it became Quality International with Stewart W. Bainum at the helm, the brand began its segmentation in 1982. It introduced the brands Comfort Inns and Quality Royale which were converted into Clarion properties in 1987 after the group took over the brands rights. The Comfort Suites (1986) and Quality Suites lines dedicated to apart-hotels, were followed by the economy hotel chain Sleep Inn in 1989.

The group merged with Manor Care (a healthcare company) in 1981, and was renamed Choice Hotel International in 1990 and took over the budget brands Rodeway Inn, Econo Lodge and Friendship Inns; the latter would be absorbed later by the first two. After the spin off of Choice from Manor Care and the group's entry onto the New York Stock Exchange in 1996, Choice Hotels International resumed its role as a pure player in the hotel industry before presenting its new brand Mainstay Suites and its loyalty program Guest Privileges in 1997.

The diversification of the group's brand portfolio continues in 2005 with the creation of the upscale brand Cambria Suites, followed by the takeover of the hotel chain Suburban Extended Stay. In 2008, the group introduced its upscale boutique brand Ascend Collection (formerly Clarion Collection), dedicated to the historic upscale hotels and to the conversion of independent hotels, and that same year Stephen P. Joyce took over the helm at the group.

During the decade that followed, in North America the group launched new versions as well as important renovation programs of its leading brands, particularly Comfort Hotels, that would lead to the rationalization of its network. While this was going on it accelerated its international development, particularly in Europe, and made its foray in the Middle East: after entering the market in Turkey in 2014, the group signed an agreement in 2016 with a partnership for an agreement for the development 25 hotels and 8,000 rooms by 2021 in the Arabian Peninsula. It also introduced some of its brands on the Old Continent, including first Ascend Collection and then Super 8, of which the first unit opened in 2016.

Today, the Choice Hotel International chain has 6,514 properties for 516,122 rooms under the brands Comfort Inn & Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria hotels & suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and the independent network of hotels Ascend Collection. It is present in more than 40 countries and is the 7th hotel group worldwide and 15th operator in Europe. In 2018, Patrick Pacious, former Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Steve Joyce at the helm of the group.