For Embassy Suites, who is responsible for the maintenance or support of Non-maintained Equipment?

According to the 2025 Embassy Suites Franchise Disclosure Document, neither HSS (presumably a third-party vendor) nor the Preferred Provider will be responsible for any maintenance or support of Non-maintained Equipment. The franchisee (referred to as 'Customer' in the FDD) bears the responsibility for equipment that Embassy Suites designates as Non-maintained Equipment.

Embassy Suites franchisees have the option, with HSS's advance written approval, to exclude certain authorized equipment used with the Information System from the standard maintenance services agreement. This exclusion leads to the equipment being classified as 'Non-maintained Equipment.' The FDD does not specify what types of equipment might be designated as Non-maintained Equipment.

This arrangement has important implications for prospective franchisees. If an Embassy Suites franchisee chooses to use Non-maintained Equipment, they must be prepared to handle all maintenance and support independently. This could involve hiring their own IT staff or contracting with third-party service providers. The franchisee also risks potential downtime or disruptions if the Non-maintained Equipment fails and they are unable to promptly resolve the issue. It would be prudent for a prospective franchisee to discuss with Embassy Suites what types of equipment typically fall into the Non-maintained category and the potential costs and responsibilities involved.