Country Inn & Suites

Country Inn & Suites
IndustryHospitality
Founded1986[1]
Number of locations
431 (as of 2024)[2]
Area served
Americas[2]
OwnerChoice Hotels
Websitehttps://www.choicehotels.com/country-inn-suites

Country Inn & Suites is an upper midscale hotel chain founded in 1986 by Carlson Holdings.[1][3] Competing brands in the upper midscale segment include Hampton by Hilton, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western Plus, and Fairfield by Marriott.[2]

History

Carlson Holdings launched Country Inns by Carlson in 1986 to serve the midscale hospitality segment.[1] As part of a co-branding strategy, the original Country Inns hosted Country Kitchen restaurants[1][4], an arrangement which ended when Carlson sold the latter brand to Kitchen Investment Group in 1997.[5] In 1994, Carlson entered a master franchise agreement with Rezidor Hotel Group AB, granting Rezidor rights to operate Radisson properties in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).[3]

By the late 2000s, the Country Inn & Suites portfolio had grown to over 500 locations, mainly in the United States.[6] In response to the 2008 global financial crisis, the brand reduced amenity spending by 7% as part of broader cost-containment efforts.[6] In 2010, Rezidor placed the Country Inn & Suites brand under review. At the time, only two locations were operated under Rezidor management in the EMEA region.[3]

Ownership changes

In 2016, Carlson publicly confirmed it had retained Morgan Stanley to explore strategic alternatives for its hotel division, including a potential sale or merger.[1] Later that year, China's HNA Tourism Group acquired Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, bringing Country Inn & Suites under its ownership as part of the deal.[7]

In 2018, the brand was renamed Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.[8] Around the same time, the brand launched a new logo, marketing campaign, and updated visual identity.[8] Later that year, Jinjiang International acquired the Country Inn brand from HNA as part of its acquisition of Radisson Hotel Group (previously Carlson Rezidor).[9]

In 2022, Choice Hotels International acquired Radisson Hotel Group Americas for $675 million.[10] Of the 624 hotels included in the deal, 453 were Country Inn & Suites properties, making it the single largest brand component of the acquisition.[11]

Corporate affairs

In 2013, Country Inn & Suites launched a brand refresh aimed at attracting millennial business guests, including design changes and expanded communal spaces.[12] The first property to showcase the new design, a 78-room hotel in Springfield, Illinois, featured architectural updates, a pool, and an outdoor veranda.[13] In 2025, Choice Hotels introduced a new prototype hotel including a redesigned lobby, updated breakfast offerings, and a new layout with 18 more guest rooms.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Cohen, M.L. (2016). Pederson, Jay P. (ed.). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 181. Farmington Hills, Michigan: St. James Press (Gale, Cengage Learning group). pp. 88–100. ISBN 978-1-55862-955-4.
  2. ^ a b c "10-k for 2024". www.sec.gov. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Cohen, M. L. (2011). Pederson, Jay P. (ed.). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 118. Farmington Hills, Michigan: St. James Press (Gale, Cengage Learning group). pp. 378–81. ISBN 978-1-4144-4729-2.
  4. ^ Dube, Laurette; Enz, Cathy A.; Renaghan, Leo M.; Siguaw, Judy A. (1999). "Country Inns & Suites". American Lodging Excellence: The Key to Best Practices in the U.S. Lodging Industry (Research Conducted By: The Center for Hospitality Research School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University). Washington, DC: American Hotel Foundation. pp. 80–1. ISBN 978-0866122122.
  5. ^ Merrill, Ann (July 24, 1997). "Carlson Hospitality Worldwide Gets Out of the Country Kitchen". The Minnesota Star Tribune. pp. 1D.
  6. ^ a b "Country Inns & Suites Holds the Line". CoStar. September 30, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  7. ^ Jourdan, Adam; Thomas, Denny (April 28, 2016). "China's HNA Group agrees to buy Carlson Hotels". Reuters. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Mest, Elliott (January 17, 2018). "Carlson Rezidor reworks Country Inn brand name". Hotel Management. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  9. ^ McCune, Robert (April 10, 2019). "Radisson Execs See Chinese Inroads With Owner Jin Jiang". CoStar. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  10. ^ Ramstad, Evan (June 14, 2022). "Choice Hotels buys Radisson Hotel Group Americas, remnant of Carlson travel legacy". The Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  11. ^ Fox, Jena Tesse; Eisen, David (June 13, 2022). "Choice Hotels scales up, moves up with Radisson Americas buy". Hotel Management. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  12. ^ Ponchione, Alissa (March 18, 2013). "Country Inns Targets Gen Y With Prototype". CoStar. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  13. ^ Landis, Tim (November 10, 2013). "Country Inn & Suites scheduled to open Nov. 21". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  14. ^ Hertzfeld, Esther (March 18, 2025). "Choice introduces new brand identities, prototypes". Hotel Management. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
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