Roberts Hotel Group Continues to Grow Portfolio with Choice Hotels

SPARTANBURG, S.C. and SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) has announced the conversion of the Roberts Hotel Group's 200-room hotel, located at 9027 Fairforest Road, to a Clarion Hotel & Suites. The Clarion property is a full-service hotel that provides a quality of service, amenities and inviting atmosphere associated with fine hotels, but at an affordable price.  

Roberts Hotel Group of St. Louis, Missouri is the largest African American-owned and -managed hotel group in the United States, and is Choice Hotels International's largest African American franchisee with six properties representing 1,085 rooms currently open and under development.

"Our company is delighted to team up again with the Clarion brand. Choice Hotels represents the best in hotel franchising agreements, offering a strong diversity program which provides unique incentives and support systems," said Michael V. Roberts, chairman and CEO of the Roberts Companies. He added, "Our management team, lead by 36 year veteran Curtis Dean, is excited about this new opportunity and is looking forward to introducing our property to the greater South Carolina community."

The new Clarion Hotel & Suites is centrally located between Charlotte and Atlanta, and provides easy access to local points of interest including the Carolina's beautiful beaches. The 200-room hotel includes 85 guest suites and offers spacious and comfortable accommodations for every event.  Experienced catering professionals are available to host events in one of the 11 conference rooms featuring 13,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space that can accommodate up to 400 guests.

"This is a great milestone because it takes the Roberts Hotel Group's room supply with Choice Hotels over the 1,000 room mark," said Brian Parker, vice president of emerging markets and new business development for Choice Hotels. "We're extremely proud to have such accomplished businessmen and lodging industry pioneers like Mike and Steve Roberts as franchisees."    

Oversized deluxe guestrooms feature two queen size beds, free high-speed Internet access, and complimentary coffee and tea. Suites contain a king size bed and sofa bed in a separate living area. The Clarion property includes a five-story atrium with heated indoor pool and a full bar and lounge, on-site fitness center, restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a complimentary shuttle to and from Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport.

"I've found the Choice family of brands to be very well received in large and small markets catering to both corporate and leisure travelers, which is why we will continue to expand our relationship as we grow our hotel portfolio," said Steven Roberts, President and COO of the Roberts Companies.

The hotel will participate in Choice Privileges, the Choice Hotels rewards program where membership is free and offers points good towards free nights, airline miles, gift certificates and more while staying at Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn or Ascend Collection properties throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii), Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, Central America, Australasia and the Caribbean.*

About the Roberts Hotels Group, LLC

The Roberts Brothers purchased the historic Mayfair hotel in downtown St. Louis in 2003.  Their purchase of the now 83-year old, 182-room mostly luxury suite hotel represented the first affiliation of a minority-owned hotel with Wyndham Hotels, Inc.  Roberts took over management of the Mayfair in 2006, and completed a $9 Million renovation to the guestrooms in 2007.  With the acquisition of their second hotel, The Crowne Plaza Marietta, GA, they created Roberts Hotels Group, LLC, which has since grown to include 12 hotels including: Roberts Comfort Inn Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL, Roberts Holiday Inn Houston, SW in Houston, TX, Roberts Courtyard by Marriott in Dallas, TX, Roberts Hotel Indigo, Central West End in St. Louis, MO, Roberts Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Spartanburg, SC and the Roberts Vista Hotel in Downtown St Louis, MO.

Steven and Michael Roberts were awarded the title of "Ernst & Young's 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year" in the Emerging Category for their outstanding achievements with the Roberts Hotels Group.  Roberts Hotels Group is the largest African-American owned and managed hotel group in the nation.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,000 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 35 other countries and territories. As of June 30, 2010, more than 580 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 47,000 rooms, and approximately 100 hotels, representing approximately 8,700 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in 20 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. Web site, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

2010 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

*Excluding Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Liberia, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. Excluding Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. Including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.