What is Even Hotels responsible for regarding hardware, software, data communication, and connectivity to connect to the FreedomPay Solution?
Even_Hotels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 1.2.
PIM Compliance: Hotel shall be responsible for procuring and maintaining, at its sole cost, all hardware, software and data communication and connectivity required to connect to the FreedomPay system and services (the "FreedomPay Solution").
Delivery of PCI-Validated Point-to-Point Encryption Secure Switching is subject to Hotel's compliance with the FreedomPay P2PE Instruction Manual (the "PIM") and Hotel's acknowledgement of such compliance in the form set forth on Exhibit 1 to Attachment 1 (PIM Acknowledgement) to this Attachment.
In the event Hotel does not comply with any obligation under the PIM, IHG may, but shall not be obligated, to perform any such obligation or otherwise mitigate such non-compliance, in which event IHG may charge Hotel reasonable fees to compensate IHG for such mitigation, including, without limitation, charging the then current list price for the applicable IHG services.
Further, a failure to comply with the PIM or the requirements of Section 3 below will result in the disallowance of the benefits to Hotel described in the PIM.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 99–438)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Even Hotels' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for procuring and maintaining all the necessary components to connect to the FreedomPay Solution. This includes hardware, software, data communication, and connectivity. The franchisee bears the sole cost for these items.
This means that as an Even Hotels franchisee, you will need to budget for and manage the technology infrastructure required to integrate with the FreedomPay payment gateway. This is a significant responsibility, as it involves ensuring that all systems are compatible, secure, and compliant with industry standards like PCI. Failing to maintain these standards or comply with the FreedomPay P2PE Instruction Manual (PIM) could lead to IHG charging fees to mitigate non-compliance or the disallowance of benefits described in the PIM.
It is important to note that while IHG facilitates support for the Next-Gen Payments Solution, FreedomPay is the actual provider of the payment gateway services. Therefore, franchisees should direct service requests to IHG, who will then coordinate with FreedomPay. Additionally, franchisees are responsible for obtaining all necessary consumer consents related to services offered by FreedomPay, including any third-party services, as required by law.
Overall, the franchisee's responsibility for the hardware, software, and connectivity to the FreedomPay system highlights the importance of understanding the technical requirements and associated costs before investing in an Even Hotels franchise. Prospective franchisees should discuss these requirements in detail with IHG and FreedomPay to ensure they can meet these obligations.