Microtel Wins Prestigious 'HotelWorld' Award for Innovative New Suite Design

By: Microtel® by Wyndham | 5 Shares 154 Reads

March 19, 2008 // Franchising.com // Microtel Inns & Suites has been named a winner in the prestigious HotelWorld Global Hospitality & Design Awards competition, which recognizes hotel industry leaders in operation and design. Microtel won the award for the "Best Guestroom Design" in the limited-service category for its innovative new hotel suite prototype. The award was announced last week at a ceremony held at Caesars Palace during the HotelWorld Expo & Conference, part of International Hospitality Week in Las Vegas. Microtel is the Atlanta-based award-winning chain of all-new construction, interior corridor economy/limited service hotels.

Entries were judged on overall aesthetic appeal, color and textures used, theme of the design and use of casegoods, soft goods and lighting by the editorial staff of Hotel & Motel Management, Hotel Design and Luxury Hotelier magazines.

"We are honored to receive this recognition and proud that Microtel's design is setting a new standard for limited service hotels," said Roy. E. Flora, Chief Operating Officer of US Franchise Systems, Inc. (USFS), parent company of the franchisor of the Microtel Inns & Suites hotel brand. "Our new suite design is contemporary and streamlined, yet practical, and provides our guests with exceptional comfort and the great value that they have come to expect from Microtel."

On hand for the ceremony along with Flora was Microtel's John Murphy, Director of Design & Construction, who participated in the conference's "Bedding Trends on a Budget" panel.

The new design was created as an outgrowth of a competition that Microtel sponsored with the Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta (SCAD) last year. Graduate interior design students competed to produce a Microtel suite guestroom redesign and the three finalists' concepts went from design to actually being installed in three suites at a Microtel Inn & Suites hotel in Atlanta. Under the direction of Microtel's Design Director Bijal Patel, a recent SCAD graduate and one of the finalists, as well as input from Microtel franchisees and guests, various aspects of all three suite designs were incorporated to produce the new award-winning prototype.

The design consists of four zones -- with ample space to work, eat, sleep and relax -- in a space-efficient layout that creates a contemporary and comfortable environment with unexpected enhancements that guests would not ordinarily expect to find in an economy hotel. It is being launched at all new Microtel hotels worldwide, and can also be easily integrated into existing hotels. It is available in six color-coordinated palettes, each with its own distinctive look utilizing clean lines with graphic forms and neutral, yet energetic colors for an altogether contemporary and inviting space.

About Microtel Inns & Suites

Microtel is the first economy/limited service hotel brand to offer guests free local and long distance phone calls within the continental U.S., plus free wireless Internet (WIFI) access in all hotel rooms nationwide. For the sixth consecutive year, Microtel has been ranked highest in overall guest satisfaction among economy/limited service hotel chains in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index StudySM.

There are currently over 325 Microtel hotels open and under construction worldwide. All hotels provide complimentary continental breakfast, and members of the MicroPass™ frequent guest program earn a free night's stay after nine night stays at any location. Microtel is a sponsor of The Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) and is known as the preferred hotel chain for travelers with disabilities.

For hotel reservations, visit http://www.microtelinn.com or http://espanol.microtelinn.com, or contact 1-800-771-7171, TDD 1-800-824-2082, or 1-888-304-6835 (Spanish speaking). All Microtel hotels are independently owned and operated.

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