What do the online presence guidelines and procedures for Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential include?
Sonesta_Select_Sonesta_Essential Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
stablish any Online Presence that we may require and may establish any other Online Presence that we authorize.
Your use of all Online Presence shall be subject to the Brand Standards as we may implement during the term of your Franchise Agreement. You must adhere to our Online Presence guidelines and procedures, which include but are not limited to: appropriate content, relevance, behavior related to communications, frequency and responsiveness to communications, etiquette, naming conventions and use of the Network Marks and posting messages or commentary on third party websites. We must approve your social media pages and they shall be linked to any Network Brand social media pages we designate. We have the right to require you to remove your social media page(s) if you fail to comply with our guidelines and procedures.
We will own the rights to each Online Presence. At our request, you must grant us access to each Online Presence and take whatever action we request to prove that we own each Online Presence or help us obtain exclusive administrative rights in such Online Presence.
Upon the expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement, you must irrevocably assign and transfer to us (or to our designee) all of your right, title and interest in any domain name listings and registrations and other Online Presence which contain any references to the Network Marks or any of the Network Brands, and must notify the applicable domain name registrar(s) or other third party of the termination of your right to use any domain name or Online Presence associated with the Network Marks or any of the Network Brands, and will authorize and instruct the cancellation or transfer of the Online Presence to us (or our designee), as directed by us. You also must delete all references to the Network Marks and any of the Network Brands from any other Online Presence you own, maintain, or operate beyond the expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement.
Loyalty Program
We and our affiliates may administer and manage loyalty programs that will provide participating guests of your Hotel with certain rewards or benefits when staying at your Hotel. Such loyalty programs may apply specifically for Brand Hotels or to any or all Network Hotels. Currently, Brand Hotels participate in our loyalty program referred to as "Sonesta Travel Pass." We charge Brand Hotel franchisees a loyalty program fee for your participation in the Sonesta Travel Pass program in the amount of 3% of your Hotel's Qualified Revenue (see Item 6 above) garnered through guests participating in the Sonesta Travel Pass Program; company-owned and company-managed Brand Hotels may pay the loyalty program fee at a different rate, and not all franchised Network Hotels pay a uniform loyalty program fee. We may increase your loyalty program fee up to 4.5% of your Hotel's Qualified Revenue. We and our affiliates may periodically
modify or discontinue the Sonesta Travel Pass program or any other loyalty program that we designate.
Source: Item 11 — **FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 52–64)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to the brand's online presence guidelines and procedures, which cover several aspects. These include appropriate content, relevance, behavior related to communications, frequency and responsiveness to communications, etiquette, naming conventions, and the use of Network Marks, as well as posting messages or commentary on third-party websites. Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential must approve the franchisee's social media pages, and these pages must be linked to any Network Brand social media pages that Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential designates.
Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential retains ownership of all rights to each Online Presence. The franchisee is obligated to grant Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential access to each Online Presence and take any action requested to prove ownership or help obtain exclusive administrative rights. Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential has the right to require franchisees to remove their social media pages if they fail to comply with the established guidelines and procedures.
Upon the expiration or termination of the Franchise Agreement, the franchisee must transfer all rights and interests in any domain names, listings, registrations, and other Online Presences that reference the Network Marks or Brands to Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential. The franchisee must also notify the relevant domain name registrars or other third parties about the termination of their right to use any domain name or Online Presence associated with the Network Marks or Brands, and authorize the cancellation or transfer of the Online Presence as directed by Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential. Additionally, all references to the Network Marks and Brands must be deleted from any other Online Presence owned, maintained, or operated by the franchisee after the agreement expires or terminates.
Franchisees are prohibited from posting any material on any Online Presence in which a third party has a direct or indirect ownership interest without obtaining prior written consent from the content owner. This includes video clips, photographs, sound bites, copyrighted text, trademarks, or service marks. Franchisees must also incorporate any other information required by Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential on any Online Presence in a manner deemed necessary to protect the Network Marks. Franchisees must establish any Online Presence that Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential requires and may establish any other Online Presence that Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential authorizes. All use of Online Presences must comply with Brand Standards and other guidelines, including the implementation, maintenance, and compliance with applicable privacy policies. Given the evolving nature of technology, Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential reserves the right to withhold or withdraw approval and modify requirements.