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Country Inn & Suites
Upper midscale hotel franchise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Country Inn & Suites is an upper midscale hotel chain founded in 1986 by Carlson Holdings.[1][3] Competing brands in the upper midscale segment include Hampton by Hilton, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western Plus, and Fairfield by Marriott.[2]
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History
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Carlson Holdings launched Country Inns by Carlson in 1986 to serve the midscale hospitality segment.[1] As part of a co-branding strategy, the original Country Inns hosted Country Kitchen restaurants[1][4], an arrangement which ended when Carlson sold the latter brand to Kitchen Investment Group in 1997.[5] In 1994, Carlson entered a master franchise agreement with Rezidor Hotel Group AB, granting Rezidor rights to operate Radisson properties in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).[3]
By the late 2000s, the Country Inn & Suites portfolio had grown to over 500 locations, mainly in the United States.[6] In response to the 2008 global financial crisis, the brand reduced amenity spending by 7% as part of broader cost-containment efforts.[6] In 2010, Rezidor placed the Country Inn & Suites brand under review. At the time, only two locations were operated under Rezidor management in the EMEA region.[3]
Ownership changes
In 2016, Carlson publicly confirmed it had retained Morgan Stanley to explore strategic alternatives for its hotel division, including a potential sale or merger.[1] Later that year, China's HNA Tourism Group acquired Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, bringing Country Inn & Suites under its ownership as part of the deal.[7]
In 2018, the brand was renamed Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.[8] Around the same time, the brand launched a new logo, marketing campaign, and updated visual identity.[8] Later that year, Jinjiang International acquired the Country Inn brand from HNA as part of its acquisition of Radisson Hotel Group (previously Carlson Rezidor).[9]
In 2022, Choice Hotels International acquired Radisson Hotel Group Americas for $675 million.[10] Of the 624 hotels included in the deal, 453 were Country Inn & Suites properties, making it the single largest brand component of the acquisition.[11]
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Corporate affairs
In 2013, Country Inn & Suites launched a brand refresh aimed at attracting millennial business guests, including design changes and expanded communal spaces.[12] The first property to showcase the new design, a 78-room hotel in Springfield, Illinois, featured architectural updates, a pool, and an outdoor veranda.[13] In 2025, Choice Hotels introduced a new prototype hotel including a redesigned lobby, updated breakfast offerings, and a new layout with 18 more guest rooms.[14]
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See also
References
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