What training is required for the General Manager and other employees before a Best Western property becomes operational?
Best_Western Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Before the Property becomes operational, your General Manager and other required employees are required to attend and successfully complete our required pre-opening training.
We provide between three to five days of initial training at the Property (or another location we designate). Your General Manager (defined in Item 15), Voting Representative, the sales manager (if applicable), and all front desk, housekeeping, and maintenance personnel must successfully complete initial training to our satisfaction before you may open and begin operating the Property. You must pay us a General Manager Training Fee in the amount of $320 to $1,700 and a Voting Representative Training Fee in the amount of $100 to $500 in consideration of the initial training programs and brand orientation we provide to new General Managers and Voting Representatives. You must provide accommodations for our trainers at no cost while they provide the initial training at the Property. We will use the Manual and various instructional handouts and online materials as we conduct the initial training program. We will generally schedule initial training after you finish construction of the Property. If any of your required personnel do not successfully complete initial training to our satisfaction, we may require you and/or your personnel to attend additional training programs at the Property or another location we designate in order to achieve the sufficient level of training we require. You also must pay for all travel and living expenses that you and your employees incur and for your employees' wages and workers' compensation insurance while they attend initial or additional training. (Membership Agreement Section A)
| Subject | Hours of Classroom Training | Hours of On-The- Job Training | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | 6 | 2 | The Property or another location we designate |
| Best Western Brand | 4 | 2 | The Property or another |
| Culture | location we designate | ||
| Guest Satisfaction | 4 | 1 | The Property or another |
| Survey | location we designate | ||
| Operations Training: (i) Front Desk; (ii) Maintenance; and (iii) Housekeeping | 6 | 2 | The Property or another location we designate |
| General Manager / | 64 | 8 | The Property or another |
| Leadership | location we designate |
All new Members are required to send a representative of their hotel, motel or resort to an Orientation Seminar before they are permitted to operate their facility as a Best Western Property.
This representative shall be an on-site employee of the Property, serving in some operational or management capacity.
Source: Item 15 — Obligation to Participate in the Actual Operation of the Franchise Business (FDD page 87)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Best Western's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, before a Best Western property can open, the General Manager, Voting Representative, sales manager (if applicable), front desk staff, housekeeping, and maintenance personnel must successfully complete initial training. This training is provided by Best Western, typically lasting between three to five days, either at the property itself or another designated location. The training covers customer service (6 hours classroom, 2 hours on-the-job), Best Western brand culture (4 hours classroom, 2 hours on-the-job), guest satisfaction surveys (4 hours classroom, 1 hour on-the-job), operations training for front desk, maintenance, and housekeeping (6 hours classroom, 2 hours on-the-job), and general manager/leadership training (64 hours classroom, 8 hours on-the-job).
Best Western outlines specific fees associated with initial training programs. There is a General Manager Training Fee ranging from $320 to $1,700 and a Voting Representative Training Fee ranging from $100 to $500. The franchisee must also provide accommodations for the Best Western trainers at no cost while they are conducting the initial training at the property. The training utilizes the Best Western Manual, instructional handouts, and online materials.
If any of the required personnel do not successfully complete the initial training to Best Western's satisfaction, the franchisee may be required to attend additional training programs at either the property or another designated location. The franchisee is responsible for covering all travel and living expenses incurred by themselves and their employees, as well as the employees' wages and worker's compensation insurance during the training periods. Additionally, all new Best Western members must send a representative to an Orientation Seminar before operating as a Best Western property. This representative must be an on-site employee in an operational or management capacity.