by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 6:30 PM ET, Mon March 19, 2018
Between 2013 and 2019, more than $2.5 billion will have been invested in the Comfort hotel brand as part of a sweeping Move to Modern initiative that's shepherding in a long list of updates to the hotel's public spaces and guest rooms.
That investment is transforming the Comfort brand, which includes Comfort Inn and also Comfort Suites and inspiring something of a renaissance.
In 2018 alone, there are plans to open one Comfort hotel per week and the pipeline of projects in the works already includes nearly 300 properties, 80 percent of which are new construction, Choice Hotels said in a statement.
Already there are more than 1,800 properties open and operating throughout North America.
The Move to Modern program was launched in 2016 and is a multi-phased effort to enhance all of the hotels in the Comfort portfolio to deliver a better, more consistent experience for guests, a Choice Hotels spokesperson told TravelPulse.
As part of that effort, there's been hundreds of renovations nationwide aimed at giving Comfort properties an up-to-date, refreshed look and feel, including more contemporary, welcoming exteriors.
Additionally, in January 2017, Choice Hotels International announced that Comfort hotels would offer 100 percent smoke-free rooms at its more than 1800 properties across the United States and Canada, making it the largest hotel brand to provide travelers with a smoke-free stay.
"Our decision to commit to improving the Comfort brand was the right one as the transformation has fortified the brand's position in the upper midscale segment and led to one of the largest pipelines in its history," said Anne Smith, vice president, brand management and design, Choice Hotels.
"With over 1,800 properties across North America, we're everywhere guests want to travel, whether on leisure or business, and we look forward to bringing the brand to even more major markets in 2018."
Choice says it intends to bring the Comfort brand to several primary markets in 2018 including Austin, Texas; Asheville, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; New York; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and San Diego, California.
Several new locations under the Comfort banner have also recently opened, including hotels in Humble, Texas; Niagara Falls, New York and Raleigh, North Carolina.
"The Comfort brand is a proven leader in the upper midscale segment and there is continued runway for growth throughout the country," said Brian Quinn, head of development, new construction brands, Choice Hotels. "Developer interest in the Comfort brand remains strong due to the brand's prototype, value proposition, and strong return on investment."
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