Can Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential change the Brand Standards temporarily?
Sonesta_Select_Sonesta_Essential Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We and our affiliates will maintain the Franchise System Website and may use Brand Promotion Fees to develop, maintain, and update the Franchise System Website. We periodically may update and modify the Franchise System Website. You acknowledge that we have final approval rights over all information on the Franchise System Website. We may implement and periodically modify Brand Standards relating to the Franchise System Website. We also may discontinue any Franchise System Website, create a separate Franchise System Website for any one of the, or any combination of the, Network Hotels, or consolidate such Franchise System Website with the website of any other brands we or our affiliates maintain, at any time, in our sole discretion.
If you are in default of any obligation under this Agreement or the Brand Standards, then we may, in addition to our other remedies, temporarily remove your Hotel information from the Franchise System Website until you fully cure the default. We will permanently remove your Hotel information from the Franchise System Website upon this Agreement's expiration or termination.
C. Online Presences. You may not register, own, maintain or use any Online Presences relating to the Brand Hotels, Network Hotels, or that includes the Network Marks, except as approved in advance by us. As a general rule, we do not permit franchisees to maintain vanity or other independent Online Presences for Brand Hotels. You may not list the details or contact information of your Hotel on any vanity or other independent websites or other Online Presence, including any OTAs, without our prior written approval. You must establish any Online Presence that we may require, and only establish any other Online Presence that we authorize. All use of Online Presences must be in accordance with the Brand Standards and our other guidelines, including the implementation and maintenance of and compliance with privacy policies, as applicable. Given the changing nature of this technology, we have the right to withhold our approval, and to withdraw any prior approval, and to modify our requirements, at our sole discretion. You acknowledge and agree that the restrictions on your use of the Marks will survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 84)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee defaults on any obligation under the Franchise Agreement or Brand Standards, Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential has the right to temporarily remove the franchisee's hotel information from the Franchise System Website, in addition to other remedies. This removal will last until the default is fully corrected. Upon expiration or termination of the agreement, the hotel's information will be permanently removed from the Franchise System Website.
Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential also maintains the Franchise System Website and may use Brand Promotion Fees to develop, maintain, and update it. Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential has final approval rights over all information on the Franchise System Website and may periodically update and modify it. They may also discontinue any Franchise System Website, create a separate one for any of the Network Hotels, or consolidate it with the website of other brands they maintain, at their sole discretion.
Franchisees are restricted from registering, owning, maintaining, or using any Online Presences related to the Brand Hotels or Network Hotels, or that includes the Network Marks, without prior approval from Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential. As a general rule, franchisees are not permitted to maintain vanity or other independent Online Presences for Brand Hotels. Franchisees must establish any Online Presence that Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential requires and only establish other Online Presences that are authorized, all in accordance with the Brand Standards and other guidelines.