Is an Embassy Suites franchisee required to participate in Embassy Suites' marketing programs?
Embassy_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ur personnel, or have, retain, or exercise any control over your (or your Management Company's) personnel or personnel policies or procedures in any manner;
- 5.1.6 purchase and maintain property management, revenue management, in-room entertainment, telecommunications, high-speed internet access, and other computer and technology systems that we designate for the System or any portion of the System based on our assessment of the long-term best interests of System Hotels, considering the interest of the System as a whole;
- 5.1.7 advertise and promote the Hotel and related facilities and services on a local and regional basis in a first-class, dignified manner, using our identity and graphics Standards for all System Hotels, at your cost and expense. You must submit to us for our approval samples of all advertising and promotional materials that we have not previously approved (including any materials in digital, electronic or
computerized form or in any form of media that exists now or is developed in the future) before you produce or distribute them. You will not begin using the materials until we approve them. You must immediately discontinue your use of any advertising or promotional material we disapprove, even if we previously approved the materials;
- 5.1.8 participate in and pay all charges in connection with all required System guest complaint resolution programs, which programs may include chargebacks to the Hotel for guest refunds or credits and all required System quality assurance programs, such as guest comment cards, customer surveys and mystery shopper programs. You must maintain minimum performance Standards and scores for quality assurance programs we establish;
- 5.1.9 honor all nationally recognized credit cards and credit vouchers issued for general credit purposes that we require and enter into all necessary credit card and voucher agreements with the issuers of such cards or vouchers;
- 5.1.10 participate in and use the Reservation Service, including any additions, enhancements, supplements or variants we develop or adopt, and honor and give first priority on available rooms to all confirmed reservations referred to the Hotel through the Reservation Service. The only reservation service or system you may use for outgoing reservations referred by or from the Hotel to other Network Hotels will be the Reservation Service or other reservation services we designate;
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 97)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Embassy Suites' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to participate in certain marketing programs. Specifically, franchisees must participate in and pay all charges related to Embassy Suites' marketing programs, in addition to programs covered by the Monthly Program Fee. However, franchisees can also opt into optional programs.
Embassy Suites also requires franchisees to advertise and promote the Hotel and related facilities and services on a local and regional basis in a first-class, dignified manner, using their identity and graphics Standards for all System Hotels, at their cost and expense. The franchisee must submit samples of advertising and promotional materials that Embassy Suites has not previously approved for their approval before they are produced or distributed. Embassy Suites can also require participation in programs designed to refer prospective customers to Other Hotels.
Embassy Suites has the sole right to determine how and when they spend funds collected through the Monthly Program Fee, including control over creative concepts, materials, media, advertising placement, and promotional program selection. The funds are intended for the benefit of the System and the Network, not any one Hotel or market. Embassy Suites is not obligated to expend funds equivalent or proportionate to a franchisee's payments or ensure the Hotel benefits directly or proportionately from such expenditures.
In addition to marketing programs, Embassy Suites franchisees must participate in and pay all charges in connection with all required System guest complaint resolution programs, which programs may include chargebacks to the Hotel for guest refunds or credits and all required System quality assurance programs, such as guest comment cards, customer surveys and mystery shopper programs. Franchisees must also maintain minimum performance Standards and scores for quality assurance programs that Embassy Suites establishes.