Who is permitted to manage a Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential hotel?
Sonesta_Select_Sonesta_Essential Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ith all Brand Standards is mandatory, and you agree at all times to operate and maintain your Hotel according to each Brand Standard, as we periodically modify and supplement them. Though we retain the right to establish and periodically modify Brand Standards which you have agreed to maintain in the operation of your Hotel, you retain the right and
sole responsibility for the day-to-day management and operation of your Hotel and the implementation and maintenance of Brand Standards at your Hotel. Brand Standards may regulate any aspect of the development, operation, and maintenance of your Hotel, including but not limited to any one or more of the following:
- (1) the appearance and condition of your Hotel;
- (2) operating procedures and platforms (including with respect to OTAs we may approve from time to time);
- (3) sales, marketing, advertising, and promotional programs (including coupons and other price-related promotions) and materials and media used in these programs;
- (4) staffing levels for your Hotel and employee qualifications, training, and uniforms (although you have sole responsibility and authority concerning employment decisions, including selection and promotion, discipline, discharge, hours worked, rates of pay and other benefits, work assigned and working conditions);
- (5) the requirement to participate in our revenue management for hire program and pay us our then current fees for such program for the first year following the Opening Date, and thereafter to either continue such participation or employ a full-time certified revenue manager (who meets the minimum qualifications we specify periodically, including completing training in the revenue management system);
- (6) use and display of the Marks;
- (7) policies for the registration, use, content, or management of Online Presences, or other technology systems, solutions, or products;
- (8) methods of payment and currencies that your Hotel may accept from customers;
- (9) participation in market research and testing and product and service development programs;
- (10) participation in gift card and loyalty card programs;
- (11) pricing;
- (12) bookkeeping, accounting, data processing and record keeping systems and forms; formats, content, and frequency of reports to us of sales, revenue, and financial performance and condition; and giving us copies of tax returns and other operating and financial information concerning your Hotel (we will use reasonable efforts to keep such records confidential);
- (13) participation in quality assurance and customer satisfaction programs;
- (14) ensuring, on an ongoing basis, that the description of your Hotel and its amenities, features and rooms, including those you believe make your Hotel and its premises accessible to persons with disabilities, is current and accurate in the Central Reservation System, on any Online Presence, and in any third-party distribution channels;
- (15) types, amounts, terms, and conditions of insurance coverage required for your Hotel, including criteria for your insurance carriers; and
- (16) any other aspects of operating and maintaining your Hotel that we determine to be useful to preserve or enhance the efficient operation, image or goodwill of the Marks and Brand Hotels.
You agree that the Brand Standards we periodically prescribe, whether prescribed in the Brand Manual or otherwise communicated to you in writing or another form, are part of this Agreement as if fully set forth within its text. All references to this Agreement include all Brand Standards as periodically modified. You acknowledge that our periodic modification of the Brand Standards (including changes and additions to hotel equipment and hardware and software required for the Computer System, including, but not limited to, the Central Reservation System, the Property Management System, and the Revenue Management System), which may accommodate regional or local variations, may obligate you to invest additional capital in your Hotel and incur higher operating costs.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 84)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential franchisees have the sole responsibility for the day-to-day management and operation of their Hotel. This includes implementing and maintaining the Brand Standards set by Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential. These standards cover a wide array of operational aspects, such as the hotel's appearance, operating procedures, sales and marketing programs, staffing levels, and the use of trademarks. While franchisees have autonomy in employment decisions, they must adhere to Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's stipulations regarding employee qualifications, training, and uniforms.
Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential mandates participation in their revenue management program for the first year after the hotel's opening. After this initial period, franchisees have the option to either continue with the program or employ a full-time certified revenue manager who meets Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential's specified minimum qualifications, including training in the revenue management system. Franchisees must also ensure the accuracy of their hotel's description and amenities across all online platforms and distribution channels, especially regarding accessibility features for individuals with disabilities.
If the franchisee is an entity, the Principal and the Management Company are authorized to deal with Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential on behalf of the franchisee in all matters related to the Franchise Agreement. Sonesta Select Sonesta Essential will rely on the decisions made by the Principal or Management Company, without needing to consult with any other party named in the agreement. The franchisee will be held liable for actions taken based on the decisions of the Principal or Management Company.