When my family and I hit the road, we tend to stay at one of two brands. As a respected member of the hotel press, I don’t want to be seen as playing favorites, so let’s just call them Resonance Inn by Chariot and Frampton Inn. (Hmm, as a side note, I’m starting to realize why so few people are willing to be anonymous sources for me.)
If a Resonance Inn isn’t available in the market where we’re staying, we’ll seek out a Frampton, and vice versa. Why just two brands? Because we know these two chains do a good job of leaving a trail so to speak across the country we can follow on our road trips. And we also know we will get the same quality guest experience time after time. After spending nine hours on the road with a 3-year-old in the back seat of the Camry, the last thing I want is a surprise when I get to our hotel.
I had this in mind this week when I read the news that California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the so-called California Franchise Relations Act. In short, the act would have given owners of franchised businesses, including hotels, more leverage in their relationships with franchisors.
According to a report in the Fresno Bee, Brown indicated he might at some point in the future be open to providing more protections for franchisees.
“It is in the best interest of all that a concerted effort be made to reach a more collaborative solution,” he said.
I’m all for collaboration between franchisors and franchisees, and I agree that there should be some controls in place to ensure the franchising model, which is so vital to the hotel industry, remains a healthy one. But I would hesitate to do anything that would compromise what makes consumers and guests seek out brands in the first place: consistency. Would Resonance and Frampton top my list of preferred brands if my guest experience were slightly different with each stay? No.
Please don’t interpret this as me bashing boutiques, independents or those hotel brands and companies that allow owners a little more flexibility with their properties. I’ve stayed in many of those properties and have had a lovely experience most of the time. But, and I can’t stress this enough, “most of the time” doesn’t cut it after seven bathroom breaks in five hours, three spilled cups of water on the backseat and mile after mile of gray interstate highway. I am a Toyota-driving, suburban-living, don’t-put-your-trash-out-the-day-before-trash-day Generation X father, and in the name of Bill Chariot I need consistency.
As an Internet hotel writer, I am well aware of the tense relationship that exists between brand companies, owners and operators. Trust me, I have heard my share of way-way-way-off-the-record war stories at the bar following the opening day cocktail reception than I can count. I know brand standards can seem arbitrary. Who the heck cares if the tile in the bath room is 2 inches or 2 ¼ inches? While I’ve never chosen a hotel based on tile size, I choose hotels based on consistency of stay all the time. And I would bet an Internet hotel writer’s salary that I’m far from the only one.
Tweet of the week
You might have seen that John Davis, who has led Room Key as CEO since its inception two years ago, stepped down at the end of September. There’s already at least one candidate for the corner office of the embattled, chain-owned booking engine.
where do I apply for the Room Key CEO gig? — Tech Impact Report (@HNN_TechReport) September 24, 2014
Email Shawn A. Turner or find him on Facebook or Twitter.
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