Under what condition can an Atwell Suites hotel utilize the Opera or Opera Xpress PMS?
Atwell_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Currently, Atwell Suites® Hotels must use the Cloud PMS. As of the date of this disclosure document, HotelKey of 4100 Midway Road, #2115, Carrollton, Texas 75007 is the only approved Cloud PMS provider. In the future, additional providers may be approved by SCH. If the Hotel is being acquired by a Change of Ownership License, the Hotel may utilize the current Opera or Opera Xpress PMS. Oracle America, Inc. ("Oracle") of 7301 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21046-2289 (whose phone number is 443-285-8000) is the only supplier of Opera and Opera Xpress software licenses and support services. Certain members of your staff may participate in e-learning prior to a PMS trainer's arrival on-site at the Hotel. Once trainers arrive, the staff will receive on-site training in the use of the PMS. The staff that must be trained and certified varies with the size of your Hotel. The cost for this training is included in the projected license fee and installation cost estimates – see the estimated costs for the equipment, installation, software and training for the PMS and Reservation System in Item 5 of this disclosure document.
Source: Item 11 — Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training (FDD pages 75–87)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Atwell Suites Franchise Disclosure Document, Atwell Suites hotels are generally required to use the Cloud PMS, with HotelKey being the only approved provider as of the document's date. However, there is an exception: if a hotel is acquired through a Change of Ownership License, it may continue to use the existing Opera or Opera Xpress PMS.
The Opera and Opera Xpress PMS software licenses and support are exclusively provided by Oracle America, Inc. This implies that franchisees acquiring an existing hotel operating under the Atwell Suites brand might have the option to maintain the current PMS if it is Opera or Opera Xpress, rather than switching to the standard Cloud PMS.
For prospective franchisees, this is a crucial detail to consider during the acquisition of an existing hotel. Understanding the PMS options available and their associated costs, including potential training and support, is essential for budgeting and operational planning. Franchisees should confirm with Atwell Suites whether the existing Opera or Opera Xpress PMS meets brand standards and what the long-term implications are for support, updates, and integration with the Atwell Suites central reservation systems.