Does Embassy Suites include my Hotel in national or regional group advertising of System Hotels?
Embassy_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
hese updates to our Service Quality Improvement Program later this year. At that time, we might make certain adjustments to the program components and fees. See Item 6.
Advertising
We are not required to engage in or maintain any particular advertising program apart from our general obligations to periodically publish and make available to the traveling public a directory of all System Hotels (including your Hotel), to include your Hotel in national or regional group advertising of System Hotels, and to include your Hotel in international, national and regional market programs. (Franchise Agreement, Section 4.4). Most advertising is placed on the internet, as well as in traditional media (such as TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, and direct email),
generally with national coverage. The source of our advertising is our in-house marketing department, advertising agencies, and other external vendors.
You must advertise and promote the hotel and related facilities and services on a local and regional basis as we specify in the Manual, 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 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 may not begin using the materials until we approve them. You must immediately discontinue your use of any advertising or promotional material that we reasonably believe is not in the best interest of your Hotel or the System, even if we previously approved the materials. Any advertising or promotional materials, or sales or marketing concepts, you develop for your Hotel that we approve may be used by other hotels in the System without any compensation to you. (Franchise Agreement, Section 5.1.7).
You may not engage, directly or indirectly, in any cross-marketing or cross-promotion of your Hotel with any other hotel, motel or related business without our prior written consent, except for System Hotels and Network Hotels. You also may not utilize a list of customers (whether acquired before or during the term of your franchise) without our prior approval. The term "System Hotels" means hotels operating under the System using the Brand name and the Standards.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 53–67)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Embassy Suites's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Embassy Suites will include your Hotel in national or regional group advertising of System Hotels. The FDD states that Embassy Suites is not required to engage in or maintain any particular advertising program apart from its general obligations. These obligations include periodically publishing and making available to the traveling public a directory of all System Hotels (including your Hotel), including your Hotel in national or regional group advertising of System Hotels, and including your Hotel in international, national, and regional market programs.
Embassy Suites also may create marketing programs for specific promotional purposes that include only certain hotels. These programs may focus on a geographic location, particular types of hotels, or other criteria. If your Hotel is selected for such a program, your participation may be required but there would be no fee for participating.
However, if your Hotel is in default, Embassy Suites may suspend its obligations to you under the Franchise Agreement, including removing the listing of your Hotel from any directories it publishes and from any advertising it publishes, assessing any applicable non-compliance fee, and/or suspending or removing your Hotel from the Reservations Service.