What are the franchisee's obligations regarding the promotion of their Sonesta Simply Suites hotel?
Sonesta_Simply_Suites Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ise System Website, including your webpage, and all information they contain (including the domain name or URL for your webpage, the log of "hits" by visitors, and any personal or business data that visitors supply).
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.
You acknowledge that you may not, without a legal license or other legal right, post on your Online Presences any material in which any third party has any direct or indirect ownership interest (including video clips, photographs, sound bites, copyrighted text, trademarks or service marks, or any other text or image in which any third party may claim intellectual property ownership interests). You also agree to incorporate on your Online Presence any other information we require in the manner we deem necessary to protect the Marks.
You must adhere to our Online Presences 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, use of the Marks, and posting messages or commentary on third-party websites. We must approve your Online Presences and they shall be linked to any Online Presences related to the Marks or Network Hotels we designate. We have the right to require you to remove your Online Presences if you fail to comply with our guidelines and procedures, as they may change from time to time.
We will own the rights to each Online Presence. At our request, at any time, you agree to grant us access to each such Online Presence, and to take whatever action (including signing assignment or other documents) we request to evidence our ownership of such Online Presence, or to help us obtain exclusive administrative rights in such Online Presence.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 79–80)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Sonesta Simply Suites's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees have specific obligations regarding the promotion of their hotels, particularly concerning online presence and participation in loyalty programs. Sonesta Simply Suites maintains the Franchise System Website and may use Brand Promotion Fees to manage it. While Sonesta Simply Suites may update and modify the website, they retain final approval rights over all information presented on it. Franchisees must adhere to Brand Standards related to the website, and Sonesta Simply Suites reserves the right to discontinue or consolidate the website at their discretion.
A key restriction for franchisees is the management of their hotel's online presence. Franchisees cannot register, own, maintain, or use any online presences related to Brand Hotels or Network Hotels, or that includes the Network Marks, without prior approval from Sonesta Simply Suites. Generally, franchisees are not permitted to maintain vanity or independent online presences for Brand Hotels. Listing hotel details or contact information on independent websites or OTAs also requires prior written approval. Franchisees must establish any online presence required by Sonesta Simply Suites and ensure that all online activities comply with Brand Standards and privacy policies.
Franchisees are also obligated to participate in loyalty programs. Sonesta Simply Suites and its affiliates may administer loyalty programs, such as Sonesta Travel Pass, which provide rewards or benefits to guests. Franchisees must honor the terms of these programs and pay all associated fees or charges, including fees assessed by Sonesta Simply Suites, room discounts, or rewards provided to guests. Franchisees must take all necessary actions to participate in these programs and grant Sonesta Simply Suites all necessary rights to use marketing materials for the hotel.