Who bills and collects the fee for the required PMS software support for a Crowne Plaza?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The PMS provider will bill you and collect the fee from you for the required PMS software support, and the PMS provider provides the support. You must also obtain ongoing equipment maintenance for the PMS hardware, as arranged through either SCH or an approved vendor. The costs will vary according to your technology needs, and the costs listed on the table are estimates.
The PMS Provider will provide you with a third-party license agreement for the use of the PMS software. (see Items 1, 8 and 11), which will be prepared for you after you complete the Oracle New Account Setup Form, the form of which is attached to this disclosure document as Exhibit G-7. This license agreement includes on-going maintenance and support for the PMS software. The PMS Provider will bill you annually for the support fee. The PMS Provider may not increase the maintenance and support fee more than once during any calendar year. You must also pay support fees for the other components of property-level systems, such as PMS equipment maintenance, and for other systems which interface to the Opera PMS system; such as the telecommunications system, the electronic door locking and keycard system, and the specialized sales software. Hardware and software maintenance fees may vary based on the number of rooms at the Hotel. The fees for local and long-distance telephone service and line charges are not included in the estimated fees on the chart. The costs will vary according to your technology needs, and the costs listed on the chart are an estimate.
Source: Item 6 — OTHER FEES (FDD pages 31–51)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Crowne Plaza FDD, the PMS (Property Management System) provider is responsible for billing and collecting the fee for the required PMS software support. Currently, Crowne Plaza hotels are required to use the Opera PMS software. The PMS provider also delivers the actual support services.
This means that as a franchisee, you will receive invoices directly from the PMS provider for these services, rather than from Crowne Plaza or its parent company, Holiday. The FDD also specifies that the PMS Provider will give you a third-party license agreement for using the PMS software after you fill out the Oracle New Account Setup Form. This license agreement covers ongoing maintenance and support for the PMS software.
The PMS provider can only increase the maintenance and support fee once per calendar year. In addition to the PMS software support fee, franchisees must also budget for support fees for other property-level systems that interface with the Opera PMS, such as telecommunications, electronic door locking, and specialized sales software. These hardware and software maintenance fees can vary depending on the number of rooms at the hotel. Franchisees should carefully review the third-party license agreement to fully understand the terms and conditions of the PMS software, including support services, payment terms, and any limitations of liability.