ATLANTA -- Buckhead
America Corp., the franchisor behind Country Hearth Inns, acquired
Americas Best Inns & Suites from US Franchise Systems (USFS).
Officials from both
companies said they expect the transaction to be completed in early
2006.
Americas Best Inns
& Suites encompasses 88 mid-priced hotels with single, double
and suite accommodations, complimentary breakfast and free local
calls.
Country Hearth Hotels,
meanwhile, is a chain of 75 mid-priced, limited-service lodging
properties located mostly in the Midwest and Southeast that evoke a
Southern hospitality atmosphere complete with homemade cookies,
according to the company. At least seven addition hotels are
currently under construction.
This is a tremendous
opportunity for our company, said Doug Collins, chairman and CEO of
Americas Best Franchising. We look forward to working with
franchisees to grow both our brands into prominent lodging systems,
while maintaining our franchisee-friendly philosophy.
Mike Leven, president
and CEO of USFS said the best place for Americas Best Inns &
Suites is with a franchisor that not only mirrors USFS delivery
systems, but our philosophy and responsible attitude toward
franchisees as well. We are confident that the brand will be in the
hands of a company and CEO whose treatment of franchisees is one
for which we have the highest regard.
USFS is part of Hyatt,
which last year acquired AmeriSuites and two weeks ago announced
plans to revamp and rebrand the chain as Hyatt Place. Hyatt intends
to invest at least $150 million converting AmeriSuites into Hyatt
Place hotels. There are 140 AmeriSuites properties in the
U.S.
To contact the
reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Michael Milligan at
[email protected].