Choice Hotels International: Offering Tourists a Budget Friendly Travel and Lodging Experience

One of the million dollar businesses that is headquartered in Maryland is Choice Hotels International. The company is a hospitality business that holds its main office in Rockville, Maryland. The company serves as a parent business to numerous brand names that have a presence worldwide.

Thriving in the lodging and travel industry, the company has more than 6,300 locations around the world. They are the owners and operators of the motels Clarion, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Comfort Suites, Comfort Inn, Mainstay Suites, Cambria Hotel & Suites, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn, Suburban Extended Stay and Ascend Hotel Collection. Their brand names are known for their reasonable price, excellent customer service and cleanliness of facilities.

Prior to becoming one of the leading lodging companies in the world, the operations of the company started as a referral chain in 1939 where the group would refer guests to the seven motels that are part of the business. Back then, they were trading under the name Quality Courts. During that time, the company has concentrated their operations within the United States, in those areas east of the Mississippi River. It was in 1972 that the company started franchising and to better represent their offerings, changed their name to Quality International.

The surge of other brand names came in the 1980s. It was during this era that the company acquired other businesses and started the introduction of the Comfort Inns brand name. As the business expanded aggressively, they also changed their name several times. It was in 1990 that they have finally settled for Choice Hotels International.

Since the last name change, the company has become the preferred choice of those travelers who are on a budget. Three of their hotel chains are considered as economy-oriented: Rodeway Inn, Econo Lodge and Friendships Inn. For those who want to splurge and enjoy a more upscale travel experience, they have the Cambria Suites which features designs based on contemporary styles.