Development Brochure

A new GENERATION with new opportunities.

brand story

Together we can write your

success story

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson SM is a leading upper-midscale brand committed to providing a caring, consistent and comfortable experience. Our 470+ global properties provide guests with a touch of home and hospitality that goes the extra mile. We support our franchisee partners with a strong product, experienced resources, tools and training to help drive their business. Our commitment extends to the support we provide our franchise partners. We have revised our franchise offering, streamlined our hotel systems, and offer experienced resources and proven tools for support. We are growing and evolving our brand by updating our visual identity, hotel architecture and interiors. Our revitalized brand is designed to appeal to a broader audience while retaining the loyal customers who have stayed with us for years. Our refreshed brand includes an exciting new prototype with contemporary design.

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design approach

A contemporary approach

to classiC design. The evolution of Country Inns & Suites.

While we take pride in the success of the Country Inns & Suites brand, only continuous improvement can safeguard our longevity. Our guests are extremely loyal and aren’t shy about sharing feedback with us via our Medallia surveys and other ongoing dialogues. With this deep understanding of their preferences—and our vision for the evolving nature of the brand—we’ve updated and revitalized the fourth generation of Country. We are excited to share a glimpse of our new look. It includes all-new contemporary hotel architecture and interiors, as well as a modernized brand identity. We’ve retained much of the classic design that makes our guests feel at home but refreshed it with a modern, clean and welcoming aesthetic. This next phase of our development will appeal to our brand loyalists as well as a broader demographic that includes business travelers and younger travelers. As their preferred hotel, we’ll ensure that multitudes of guests will say, “I love this Country,” well into the future.

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interior design

The next best thing to home.

We keep an ongoing dialogue with our guests so we can understand their preferences. With this in mind, we’ve updated our brand to appeal to today’s modern customer. Our brand promise has always included a touch of home, so we draw upon the warmth, comfort and sense of togetherness one feels when spending time in an inviting home as inspiration for our design. Character-rich surfaces, such as stone, add warmth, interest and depth. Personal touches like vases and framed art create interesting focal points to tell a visual story. And we use purposeful color to infuse energy and personality throughout the hotel. We also pay particular attention to each property’s unique location—allowing local geography and culture to inform its design. For example, while cozy fireplaces serve as lobby focal points in cold climates, we might install water features in warmer regions. We modify design elements where necessary so the final product conveys a relaxing sense of home for each region. Flexible to be located in urban or suburban environments, our contemporary properties offer broad appeal and resonate with guests looking for a fresh, modern and comfortable hotel with unique touches of home.

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A walk through

THE HOTEL

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the den

The den creates a comfortable, practical space where guests can work, hold informal meetings or relax with a book from our Read It & Return Lending Library.SM

the LIVING ROOM

Open and friendly, the living room serves as a flexible space with a welcoming reception area, relaxing seating and cozy atmosphere.

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the BREAKFAST ROOM

The breakfast room reflects the welcoming hub of a home and is a multi-use space where guests can enjoy our Be Our Guest Breakfast, a mid-day cup of coffee, or get a little work done.

the SERVERY

Our signature, complimentary hot breakfast is served in a modern setting that invites guests to help themselves.

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the batHroom

With a fresh, air y appearance and a contemporar y palette of materials, the bathroom is welcoming and warm. Vanities include deep, generous basins and sof t, plush towels. The showers prov ide an inv iting place to unwind.

THE STANDARD KING

A comfortable bed dressed to feel soft and look welcoming serves as the focal point of the room. Color, pattern and eclectic furnishings add character and visual interest.

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the pool

The pool uses modern, spa-like materials to create an inviting place for guests to take a relaxing dip or enjoy an invigorating swim. Loungers, tables and chairs provide places to sit, with easy access to the nearby fitness room.

the veranda

The veranda is a fresh interpretation of the iconic front porch of previous generations, serving as a welcoming gathering space for guests.

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Brand

essentials.

Product

Services

Branding

Branded OS&E

Exterior Color Palette

Be Our Guest Service

Exterior Signage

Key Cards & Jackets

Interior Signage

Be Our Guest Breakfast

WebExtra

Do Not Disturb Signs

The Living Room

Free High-Speed Internet

Brand Flag

The DenA

Country Bed

Guest Service

The ServeryA

Country Bath

Directory

Breakfast Room

Read It & Return Lending LibrarySM

Notepads & Pens

Iconic FireplaceB

Employee Uniforms

Business Cards

Flat-Screen TVs

3 Cs: Cookies, Coffee & Candy

Letterhead

Swimming PoolB

Bath Amenity Program

Sales Kit Folders

Fitness Center

Club CarlsonSM

POOL ROOM

Blueprints for

RAISED FIRE PIT

success.

VERANDA

BREAKFAST ROOM

LAUNDRY

ELEC

PANTRY

FEMALE WC

SERVERY

STANDARD ROOM

1 BED SUITE

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

FITNESS ROOM

STAIRCASE

STORE

COFFEE STATION

MECH

MALE WC

DEN & BUS. CENTER

MECH

GUEST LAUNDRY TELECOM

POOL EQUIP, MECH

STAIRCASE

VENDING

Business Center CORRIDOR

The VerandaB

CORRIDOR ELEV LOBBY

Standard Interior Design PackageC (Prototypical product & design specifications)

RETAIL MALE WC

FEMALE WC

1 BED SUITE

RECEPTION LIVING ROOM

A. Area e qu ival e nt for c onve r s i on s

BREAK ROOM

B. Sit e - de p e nd e nt for ge o g r a ph i c al z one and c i t y - c e nt e r mar k e t s C . Some i t e m s w i t h i n t h r e e - year P I P Pha se for c onve r s i on s

The essentials reflect a high-level summary of key brand touchpoints to describe Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM product and branding requirements and do not reflect all standards required of a Country Inns & Suites licensee. Complete brand standards are located in the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Standards of Architecture & Design, Standards of Service & Operation, and Brand Identity & Graphic Standards manuals.

OFFICE

1 BED SUITE

ELEV EQUIP STANDARD ROOM

WORK ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STANDARD ROOM

STORAGE

CARTS

MEETING ROOM

VESTIBULE

ENTRANCE

first floor

Individual communal spaces flow together seamlessly, creating a large, interconnected environment. Ground-floor guestrooms are consolidated on one side of the floor, creating easily accessible yet private rooms.

The standard king

The Double QUEEN

The king suite

As a combination live-work space, the Standard King provides all the essentials for comfort, convenience and relaxation.

Two queen beds and a large bathroom comfortably accommodate families, creating a relaxing space to unwind.

The bathroom and closet separate sleeping and living spaces, creating a spacious multi-use suite perfect for families and business travelers.

second floor

Windows at the ends of corridors use natural daylight to brighten the space.

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summary A NEW GE N E R AT ION OF

w ho we are

CARING, CONSISTENT

&

comforTABLE with a touch of home.

470

OVER

Brand Values

• Be Our Guest philosophy

connection authenticity experience

• Outstanding guest satisfaction • Proven programs • Enduring product • Amenities guests love

Hardworking guests with a love of family and adventure.

LOCATIONS

O U R LO O K AND F EEL

contemporary inviting eclectic

O U R P L AN for gen 4

RENOVATE &

EXPAND

Flexible

prototype fits both urban & suburban markets

designed

to attract Business travelers, Millennials & Baby Boomers

An

Evolved

Visual Identity 23

locations

PANAMA

COSTA RICA

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9

Delivering warm welcomes in over 470 locations.

INDIA

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We’ve watched with pride as our Country Inns & Suites brand has grown from its humble beginnings in the heartland of America. Today, it has expanded to hundreds of U.S. locations, plus Canada, India and Central America. But we haven’t forgotten where we came from. Our founding philosophy of treating guests like family grew from our Midwestern beginnings. And that promise remains the foundation of each of our locations. True hospitality is a global language.

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amenities

amenities

Amenities

guests love When guests stay with us, we want them to feel at home. So we provide amenities

Fitness Center We help guests keep up with their exercise routines by offering access to convenient fitness facilities.

to make their stay as productive and comfortable as possible. We work to delight our guests and inspire them to say, “I love this Country.”

Be Our Guest Service Treating guests like family means making certain they experience a welcoming and relaxing stay. To create an enjoyable guest experience, each team member learns these values in our Be Our Guest Service Excellence Training Program.

Complimentary Be Our Guest Breakfast

Swimming Pools Whether guests want to start their day with a splash, take a dip after a day of meetings or spend time with their kids while on vacation, at most of our properties we provide pools that create a refreshing place to have fun or unwind.

Our one-of-a-kind, free hot breakfast features a variety of options ranging from

Complimentary Cookies

wholesome classics li ke hot oatmea l a nd waff les to bu i ld-you r- ow n options,

We welcome our guests with fresh chocolate chip goodness.

like omelets and yogurt parfaits. Our menu rotates daily so guests experience new offerings throughout their stay. And for an elevated guest experience, we serve every breakfast on classic plates w ith silver wa re. Li ke home.

Read It & Return Lending Library

SM

We celebrate the love of reading with our signature Read It & Return Lending Library. We’ve recently

Free High-Speed Internet

partnered with Random House, increasing our selection of titles. zGuests can borrow

We understand how important it is for both business and leisure travelers to stay connected.

If they don’t finish it during their stay, they can simply take it with them and return it during their

That’s why every Country Inns & Suites offers high-speed Internet access, free every day.

a book or magazine and relax in the hotel lobby, or enjoy it zin the comfort of their rooms. next visit to any Country Inns & Suites in North America.

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support services

Support services to

help you along the way.

Technical Services and Brand Design Our team of architects, engineers and technicians assist hotel owners and developers to build cost-effective, operationally efficient, well-designed and innovative hotels. The Brand Programs & Design Services team focus on creating seamless interior design packages and executing iconic Country Inns & Suites elements consistently throughout the hotel. • Architectural plan review. • Prototypical design implementation.
 • Interior design packages and sourcing. • Cost-effective brand touchpoints.

Country Inns & Suites—along with our owners and franchisees— enjoys all the benefits of being part of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s global network, with its breadth of experience, knowledge, contacts and superior buying power.

Strategic Sourcing Success depends largely on the quality of goods and services that guests receive. Tap into a reliable network of quality suppliers with strong industry credibility.
 • Over 150 systemwide suppliers. • Negotiated discounts on brand-standard items and services. • Quality, cost savings and convenience.

Training and Educational Development Operations Support Our corporate team is committed to helping you drive your business. We have proven systems and processes that are designed to streamline start-up and ongoing operations at the property level. • Field-based District Directors are available as consultants and are partnered with our Hospitality Services Support Center representatives to work directly with your hotel. • Qua lit y assura nce progra ms a llow bra nd sta nda rds to be met consistently across the system. 


• The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Business School provides hospitality and business training to hotel employees to refine their skills to run a successful and profitable hotel. • Online training and educational development materials available to help maintain high guest-satisfaction ratings. • Access to the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) Educational Institute includes access to leading industry-certification programs. • Be Our Guest Service Excellence training is completed with every new team member hired, within their first two weeks on the job. Team members are trained to go the extra mile, delivering welcoming hospitality unmatched in the midscale segment.

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revenue generation

Revenue Generation and LOYALTY At Country Inns & Suites, we understand that in order to keep growing, we must focus on helping our owners and franchisees realize a return on their investments. We offer proprietary, comprehensive and turn-key tools designed to help hotels compete in the challenging uppermidscale segment.

Revenue Optimization tools include our industry-leading “Stay Night Automated Pricing” (SNAP) rate optimization technology that takes the guesswork out of daily pricing. Our optional Revenue Optimization Performance Enhancement Services (ROPES) provides customized, hotel-level support. Hotels also benefit from a close partnership with Carlson Wagonlit Travel, the global leader in hotel travel management, and Look To Book, our patented, market-leading global travel agent incentive program. Country Inns & Suites also receives specific focus from a Dedicated Midscale Brand Sales Team focused on delivering opportunities to hotels from small and medium enterprise (SME) accounts. Backed by our Global Sales team’s comprehensive segment coverage, our sales efforts are positioned to drive hotel revenue. Global distribution and channel management deliver continuous support through initiatives like our Redirected Call Program (RCP) and Online Travel Agent (OTA) relationships. Annual, brand-specific marketing plans are designed to capture awareness at the brand level and drive revenue at the local hotel level through strategic deployment of key marketing tactics. Continuous investment in countryinns.com and online channels allows us to keep pace with today’s discerning guests. Our Club CarlsonSM hotel rewards program is receiving industry accolades since its launch in 2011 and offers a faster way to a free night. It is among the fastest-growing loyalty programs in the industry.

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portfolio

Carlson’s homegrown

hospitality BRAND

Restaurants

Hotels

Travel

> 920 restaurants > 61 countries & territories

> 1,300 hotels open and under development. > 100 countries & territories

> Global leader specializing in business travel management > 153 countries & territories

Countr y Inns & Suites is the only brand within the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

created f rom t he grou nd up by t he Ca rlson fa m i ly. Inspi red by a trad itiona l European bed and breakfast, we called the original property in Burnsville, Minn., the Country Hospitality Inn, because we believed true hospitality meant treating guests like family. We welcomed our f irst guests with a batch of warm chocolate ch ip cook ies. Today, t he bra nd ha s e volved to a more contempora r y v i sion, yet still embodies the best parts of that founding philosophy, including the cookies.

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manifesto

manifesto

The spirit of the brand is captured in our manifesto. Join us and we’re sure you’ll soon be saying

“I love this Country.”

We love the wide open spaces.
 We love the cities, big and small.
 And there’s nothing we love more than to be welcomed all across it. We love finding a friendly face wherever we go.
 We love seeking adventure.
 We love trying new things.
 And discovering the comforts of home.
 We love unique destinations.
 And the consistency of a good night’s sleep.
 We love complete relaxation.
 And the coziness to be completely productive. No one knows what we love better in our travels more than Country Inns & Suites, the place that still goes the extra mile to make us feel at home. And makes us comfortable enough in every new city or town we visit, that each one of us can proudly say “I love this Country.”

Learn more about Country Inns & Suites. Please call +1 (800) 336–3301, visit us online at countryinns.com or email [email protected].

It’s a great time to become a part of this Country. To learn more please call +1 (800) 336-3301, visit us online at countryinns.com or email us at [email protected]

This Development Resources Guide contains information that is confidential and proprietary to, and trade secrets of, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Inc. The Development Resources Guide is provided for informational purposes only and may not be used for any other purpose unless and until you enter into a license agreement with Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Inc. to construct and operate a Country Inn & Suites By Carlson® hotel. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Inc. and its parent and affiliate companies have no responsibility for, and make no representations, express or implied, with respect to, the accuracy or completeness of any information in this Guide. This Development Resources Guide is not an offering. It is for informational purposes only. If you are a resident of any jurisdiction that requires registration of a franchise prior to offer or sale, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption) and delivered the disclosure document in compliance with applicable law. In New York (USA), an offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Inc. makes no representations or guarantees concerning the success or profitability of licensees or hotel locations. © 2013 Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM , Inc. 03/2013. All Rights Reserved.