What support fees must an Even Hotels franchisee pay for property-level systems?
Even_Hotels Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ls must utilize an approved POS solution, that meets brand requirements. The estimated initial cost for the POS purchase and installation will range from $35,000 to $45,000, and will include three standard outlets. Pricing will increase with the installation of additional outlets. You must obtain ongoing maintenance and support for the required POS software, including upgrades and new versions. The annual maintenance fee is estimated to be $3,500 to $5,000, based on a typical single brand installation. You must also obtain ongoing equipment maintenance for the POS hardware. The POS provider will bill and collect the fee from you for the required POS hardware / software support. The costs will vary based on the number of rooms at the hotel and according to your technology needs. The POS provider will provide you with a third-party license agreement for the use of the POS software. Therefore, you must sign a third party license agreement with the approved POS provider or with any other POS provider designated by SCH. This license agreement includes on-going maintenance and support for the POS software. The POS provider will bill you annually for the support fee. The POS 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 POS equipment maintenance, and for other systems which interface to the POS; such as the PMS system, the Sales and Catering system or other specialized sales software. Hardware and software maintenance fees may vary based on the number of rooms at the hotel and your technology fees.
IHG Merlin System:
SCH has designed a communication service, (http://ihgmerlin.com) known as "IHG Merlin", and its messaging tool, currently known as "Hotel Bulletin", which are the primary means of sending information from Holiday and SCH to licensees and in some cases, this may be the only manner in which Holiday and SCH communicate with Hotels and licensees. IHG Merlin and Hotel Bulletin will require you to access the Internet via third-party computer network communications service ("Internet Service Provider" or "ISP").
IHG Merlin is an electronic information library providing up-to-the-minute information and documentation from SCH at your fingertips. IHG Merlin was created solely for Holiday's various brand groups of hotels and their employees. In some cases, information may be distributed to Brand System hotels only through IHG Merlin. Information may include: the Standards, PMS Manual, newsletters and informational memos from Holiday or SCH, Marketing Solicitations, etc.
To access IHG Merlin, you must select and pay a monthly fee for an ISP which meets the minimum specifications established by SCH.
Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 59–68)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Even Hotels' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must pay support fees for various property-level systems. These include the Point of Sale (POS) system, Property Management System (PMS), and Keycard System. The annual maintenance fee for the POS software is estimated to be between $3,500 and $5,000, based on a typical single-brand installation. This fee covers ongoing maintenance, support, upgrades, and new versions of the software. Franchisees are also responsible for ongoing equipment maintenance for the POS hardware, with costs varying based on the number of rooms at the hotel and the hotel's technology needs. The POS provider will bill and collect these fees directly from the franchisee.
For the PMS, franchisees must obtain ongoing maintenance and support from the supplier for all PMS components, including software, software upgrades, and required Brand Standard system interfaces. The FDD specifies that support fees must also be paid for other components of property-level systems that interface with the PMS, such as telecommunications systems, electronic door locking and keycard systems, and specialized sales software. Hardware and software maintenance fees for these systems can vary based on the number of rooms at the hotel.
Additionally, Even Hotels franchisees must utilize an approved Keycard System and obtain ongoing maintenance and support for both the software and hardware components. The Keycard System provider will bill and collect these fees, with costs varying depending on the hotel's specific technology needs, including the number of key encoders and servers. The FDD indicates that the Keycard System must interface with the PMS. The costs associated with these systems can vary significantly based on the size of the hotel, the specific technology implemented, and the chosen vendors.