What are Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential franchisees required to do with their copy of the Brand Manual?
Sonesta_Select_Sonesta_Essential Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- H. Brand Manual. During the Term, we will provide you with access to our brand manual for the operation of Brand Hotels (the "Brand Manual"), which may include one or more separate manuals as well as other written materials. The Brand Manual contains mandatory Brand Standards that we periodically prescribe for developing and operating Brand Hotels, information on suggested procedures, and your other obligations under this Agreement. We may modify the Brand Manual periodically to reflect changes in Brand Standards, including in the form of memoranda and newsletters. You agree to keep your copy of the Brand Manual current and in a secure location at your Hotel. If there is a discrepancy between our copy of the Brand Manual and yours, our copy of the Brand Manual controls. You agree that the Brand Manual's contents are confidential, that you will keep it in a secure location which will not be accessible to persons who are not authorized to review it, and that you will not disclose the Brand Manual to any person other than your employees who need to know its contents. You may not at any time copy, duplicate, record, or otherwise reproduce any part of the Brand Manual. We may make some or all of the Brand Manual available through a restricted Website or extranet to which you will have access. If we do so, you agree to monitor and access the Website or extranet for any updates to the Brand Manual or Brand Standards. Any passwords or other digital identifications necessary to access the Brand Manual will be deemed to be part of Confidential Information (as defined in Section 6). For purposes of this Agreement, "Website" means an interactive electronic document contained in a network of computers linked by communications software, including the internet and world wide web home pages.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 84)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to maintain a current copy of the Brand Manual in a secure location at their hotel. The Brand Manual contains mandatory Brand Standards that Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential periodically prescribes for developing and operating Brand Hotels, information on suggested procedures, and franchisee obligations under the Franchise Agreement. Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential may modify the Brand Manual periodically to reflect changes in Brand Standards, including in the form of memoranda and newsletters. Franchisees must keep their copy current. If there is a discrepancy between the franchisee's copy and Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's copy, the franchisor's copy controls.
Furthermore, the franchisee agrees that the Brand Manual's contents are confidential. Franchisees must keep it in a secure location inaccessible to unauthorized personnel and cannot disclose the Brand Manual to anyone other than employees who need to know its contents. Franchisees are prohibited from copying, duplicating, recording, or reproducing any part of the Brand Manual.
Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential may make the Brand Manual available through a restricted website or extranet. If this is the case, franchisees must monitor and access the website or extranet for any updates to the Brand Manual or Brand Standards. Any passwords or other digital identifications necessary to access the Brand Manual will be deemed part of Confidential Information.