Choice Privileges - Comfort Inn/Suites Redesign & Ascend Collection growing rapidly

First up, Comfort Inn/Suites. Highlights from their January Press Release (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-introduces-a-redefined--redesigned-comfort-brand-family-137959833.html):

"The new guest satisfaction standards are based on the voice of the guest," said Alexandra Jaritz, "and if guest feedback indicates that a property is not living up to standards, we have implemented stricter consequences for underperforming properties." This part of the plan is especially impactful for Comfort Inn. In addition to terminations issued for other reasons, Choice is prepared to remove up to 10 percent of the Comfort Inn system if those hotels do not rise above the new guest satisfaction thresholds.

<snip>

"In 2012, all Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites hotels will implement the 'Your First Impression' program, aimed at delivering a consistent and contemporary welcome experience to our guests." Additional brand programs are under development and will be launched over the course of the next three years.

Complementing the planned brand programs, nearly 70% of the Comfort system will complete more comprehensive Property Improvement Plans by the end of 2015, ensuring that the Comfort brand family provides a reliable and refreshed guest experience.

<snip>

"We designed the new Comfort prototypes with the idea that our guests and developers are the true architects," added Jaritz. "Through extensive consumer testing, we identified the amenities and design elements that appeal most to them. The result is a warm, inviting hotel design that not only resonates with our guests, but also appeals to experienced developers seeking a hotel that is highly cost-effective to build and operate."

A lot of marketing speak, but the pic of the new prototype lobby looks much improved over what they have today:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/pb-large/EN/2012/01/24/15/20120124152107ENPRNPRN11-CHOICE-HOTELS-INTL-COMFORT-INN-LOBBY-1y-1-1327418467MR.jpg

Additionally, the Ascend Collection appears to be growing at a fairly rapid clip since looking at the list last year. It is probably my favorite part of Choice, if only because many other hotel chains (Hilton & IHG especially) don't have many nice hotels that are 'unique' in their portfolio, especially within the 3-star range.

the pic of the new prototype lobby looks much improved over what they have today:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/pb-large/EN/2012/01/24/15/20120124152107ENPRNPRN11-CHOICE-HOTELS-INTL-COMFORT-INN-LOBBY-1y-1-1327418467MR.jpg
Well, the problem is a lot of smaller Comfort Inns (or ones made up of smaller multiple buildings) may not have room for a lobby that looks anything like this. I'm thinking of one, in particular, that just did a major guest room overhaul and a major breakfast contents overhaul recently, but as a two-story property of only a few dozen rooms with the small lobby and small breakfast area in a separate building, they don't have space to make the lobby bigger (and not much demand for it given how few rooms they have). The only way they could do it would be by ripping out some significant number of rooms out of the main building, and moving either the lobby or the breakfast room there.

Is Choice going to need to rebrand Comfort Inns that physically are too small for this new lobby to make sense? (I'd hate to have some of my regular Comfort Inns drop down to the half-earning tier just because of this.)

Well, the problem is a lot of smaller Comfort Inns (or ones made up of smaller multiple buildings) may not have room for a lobby that looks anything like this. I'm thinking of one, in particular, that just did a major guest room overhaul and a major breakfast contents overhaul recently, but as a two-story property of only a few dozen rooms with the small lobby and small breakfast area in a separate building, they don't have space to make the lobby bigger (and not much demand for it given how few rooms they have). The only way they could do it would be by ripping out some significant number of rooms out of the main building, and moving either the lobby or the breakfast room there.

Is Choice going to need to rebrand Comfort Inns that physically are too small for this new lobby to make sense? (I'd hate to have some of my regular Comfort Inns drop down to the half-earning tier just because of this.)

It would probably be downsized, but retain similar design elements. The prototype is usually just that - the ideal that brand experts developed. There are many Comfort Inns that have a very bland lobby (whether large or small), and gives a poor first impression.