You are required to use our central reservation system (“CRS”). Our CRS consists of our toll-free telephone reservation system, our proprietary internet sites, mobile phone and tablet reservation applications, interfaces with global distribution systems, and other internet reservations sites (such as online travel agencies). Our CRS provides a data link to our franchised properties as well as to travel reservation systems such as Amadeus, Galileo, SABRE and Worldspan that facilitate the reservation process for travel agents and corporate travelers. We also offer rooms for rent on our website (http://www.choicehotels.com) and mobile applications as well as those of online travel agents (OTAs) and other third-party internet referral or booking services. Our toll-free telephone reservation system primarily utilizes third-party call center service providers. Reservation agents trained on the reservation system have the goal of matching each caller with a Choice-branded hotel meeting the caller’s needs. We also operate a call forwarding program through which our franchisees can leverage our CRS capabilities by forwarding reservation calls received directly by the property to one of our reservation centers. Some components of the CRS have separate fees, as further described in Item 6 below. We also continue to upgrade our technology to ensure that our CRS can effectively handle the current and future volume on digital channels and support the industry’s shift toward accelerated digital communications and guest experience personalization. In support of these initiatives, we developed choiceEDGE, which is a cloud-based software to manage all distribution for the company by optimizing rate, inventory, availability, shopping, booking, and reservations for its
From the filings
Ascend Collection Hotel
LodgingSoftware purchasing at Ascend Collection Hotel is controlled at the corporate level by Choice Hotels International executives, including the Chief Development Officer and EVP of Operations. The brand mandates a specific, integrated tech stack—ChoiceADVANTAGE PMS, SkyTouch Technology, Shift4 Payments, and ChoiceConnect—across all 184 franchised locations. This creates a concentrated addressable market for vendors whose solutions can complement or integrate with these mandated systems.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Ordinary royalty terms
5% component; full terms unconfirmed
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed for the selected filing.
Recorded percentage components
These are recorded percentage components. Each has its own base and conditions; the chart does not state the total payment or confirm ad-fund completeness.
1recorded components (FY2026)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
You are required to use our central reservation system (“CRS”). Our CRS consists of our toll-free telephone reservation system, our proprietary internet sites, mobile phone and tablet reservation applications, interfaces with global distribution systems, and other internet reservations sites (such as online travel agencies). Our CRS provides a data link to our franchised properties as well as to travel reservation systems such as Amadeus, Galileo, SABRE and Worldspan that facilitate the reservation process for travel agents and corporate travelers. We also offer rooms for rent on our website (http://www.choicehotels.com) and mobile applications as well as those of online travel agents (OTAs) and other third-party internet referral or booking services. Our toll-free telephone reservation system primarily utilizes third-party call center service providers. Reservation agents trained on the reservation system have the goal of matching each caller with a Choice-branded hotel meeting the caller’s needs. We also operate a call forwarding program through which our franchisees can leverage our CRS capabilities by forwarding reservation calls received directly by the property to one of our reservation centers. Some components of the CRS have separate fees, as further described in Item 6 below. We also continue to upgrade our technology to ensure that our CRS can effectively handle the current and future volume on digital channels and support the industry’s shift toward accelerated digital communications and guest experience personalization. In support of these initiatives, we developed choiceEDGE, which is a cloud-based software to manage all distribution for the company by optimizing rate, inventory, availability, shopping, booking, and reservations for its
You are required to use our central reservation system (“CRS”). Our CRS consists of our toll-free telephone reservation system, our proprietary internet sites, mobile phone and tablet reservation applications, interfaces with global distribution systems, and other internet reservations sites (such as online travel agencies). Our CRS provides a data link to our franchised properties as well as to travel reservation systems such as Amadeus, Galileo, SABRE and Worldspan that facilitate the reservation process for travel agents and corporate travelers. We also offer rooms for rent on our website (http://www.choicehotels.com) and mobile applications as well as those of online travel agents (OTAs) and other third-party internet referral or booking services. Our toll-free telephone reservation system primarily utilizes third-party call center service providers. Reservation agents trained on the reservation system have the goal of matching each caller with a Choice-branded hotel meeting the caller’s needs. We also operate a call forwarding program through which our franchisees can leverage our CRS capabilities by forwarding reservation calls received directly by the property to one of our reservation centers. Some components of the CRS have separate fees, as further described in Item 6 below. We also continue to upgrade our technology to ensure that our CRS can effectively handle the current and future volume on digital channels and support the industry’s shift toward accelerated digital communications and guest experience personalization. In support of these initiatives, we developed choiceEDGE, which is a cloud-based software to manage all distribution for the company by optimizing rate, inventory, availability, shopping, booking, and reservations for its
We require chip-enabled credit card acceptance (EMV) hardware for use in your hotel. We estimate the cost of each device, including programming, to be approximately $875. Fees may vary based on the number of devices required for your hotel. We also require EMV software for use in your hotel. The required EMV software for processing credit card payments through choiceADVANTAGE® property management system is only available from Shift4 Payments, a Nevada corporation, with a business address at 1491 Center Crossing Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144. You will make payments directly to Shift4. Shift4 is a Qualified Vendor. See Item 8 of this Disclosure Document. PHOTOGRAPHY Prior to opening or within 30 days of the opening of your Hotel, you are required to retain a professional photography to take photos and provide a virtual tour of your Hotel from one of our qualified vendors. The cost is dependent upon the selection by you of a qualified vendor. We estimate that this cost may range between $3,500 to $5,000 or more, depending upon the selection of the qualified vendor and photography options selected by you.
1 Ascend - Franchise Disclosure Document - April 1, 2026 countries and territories, as organized by region: (1) Asia-Pacific - Australia, China, India, Japan and New Zealand, and these have been mainly our ASCEND, CLARION, COMFORT, ECONO LODGE, MAINSTAY SUITES and QUALITY INN brands; (2) Europe & Middle East – Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, and these have been mainly our ASCEND, CLARION, COMFORT, ECONO LODGE, and QUALITY INN, and CLARION brands; and (3) Latin America & Canada – Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and U.S Virgin Islands, and these have been our ASCEND, CLARION, COMFORT, COUNTRY INN & SUITES, ECONO LODGE, MAINSTAY SUITES, PARK INN, RADISSON, RADISSON BLU, RADISSON INDIVIDUALS, RADISSON RED, RODEWAY, QUALITY INN, and SLEEP INN brands. Choice BV’s wholly owned subsidiary, Choice Hotels France, S.A.S. (a French company incorporated in France on November 23, 2006), conducts franchise operations in France. Choice BV’s wholly owned subsidiary, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac Pty. Ltd. (an Australia company incorporated on March 30, 1998), conducts franchise operations in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to June 2025, Choice (through direct or indirect subsidiaries) franchised the following brands in Canada: CAMBRIA, COUNTRY INN & SUITES® BY RADISSON, EVERHOME, MAINSTAY, PARK INN BY RADISSON, RADISSON BLU, RADISSON®, RADISSON INDIVIDUALS, SUBURBAN STUDIOS and WOODSPRING. For its other brands (ASCEND COLLECTION, COMFORT, CLARION, ECONO LODGE, QUALITY, RODEWAY INN, and SLEEP INN brands) these were franchised pursuant to a master franchise agreement with Choice Hotels Canada, Inc. (“CHC”) a corporation incorporated on May 21, 2008 under the laws of the Province of Ontario, pursuant to a master franchise agreement. CHC was equally owned by Choice Hotels International Licensing ULC, a company formed in May 2008 under the laws of the Province of Alberta, Canada, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Choice BV, and by InnVest Management Holdings Limited. In July 2025, Choice acquired the remaining 50% stake in CHC from InnVest Hotels, taking full ownership to transition from a master franchising model to a direct, 100% owned model. These brands are now franchised directly by a direct or indirect subsidiary of Choice. As of December 31, 2025, there were approximately 1,388 Choice franchised hotels operating in these various countries. In 2013, we established a subsidiary, SkyTouch Solutions, LLC, that developed and marketed cloud-based technology products, including inventory management, pricing and connectivity to third party channels, to hoteliers who do not have franchise agreements with us. Prior to the dissolution of this entity on December 31, 2025, all trademarks, assets, and liabilities were assigned to Choice.
You are required to use our central reservation system (“CRS”). Our CRS consists of our toll-free telephone reservation system, our proprietary internet sites, mobile phone and tablet reservation applications, interfaces with global distribution systems, and other internet reservations sites (such as online travel agencies). Our CRS provides a data link to our franchised properties as well as to travel reservation systems such as Amadeus, Galileo, SABRE and Worldspan that facilitate the reservation process for travel agents and corporate travelers. We also offer rooms for rent on our website (http://www.choicehotels.com) and mobile applications as well as those of online travel agents (OTAs) and other third-party internet referral or booking services. Our toll-free telephone reservation system primarily utilizes third-party call center service providers. Reservation agents trained on the reservation system have the goal of matching each caller with a Choice-branded hotel meeting the caller’s needs. We also operate a call forwarding program through which our franchisees can leverage our CRS capabilities by forwarding reservation calls received directly by the property to one of our reservation centers. Some components of the CRS have separate fees, as further described in Item 6 below. We also continue to upgrade our technology to ensure that our CRS can effectively handle the current and future volume on digital channels and support the industry’s shift toward accelerated digital communications and guest experience personalization. In support of these initiatives, we developed choiceEDGE, which is a cloud-based software to manage all distribution for the company by optimizing rate, inventory, availability, shopping, booking, and reservations for its
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
13 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 6 explicit no's; 15 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access to the information that will be generated by the choiceADVANTAGE® property management system and will use the information and data to identify trends, as well as to perform statistical analysis for improvement of the brand standards, as well as the overall Choice franchise system.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesItem 9
If we request in Date, within 5 days after the end of each calendar month during writing, you will send us copies of the Hotel Data and financial the Term, you will send us a statement on a form to be statements certified by you as true and accurate (including a determined by us showing the Gross Room Revenues…
How the franchisor buys
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
As of the date of this Disclosure Document, there is a brand-specific franchise advisory council.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 9
Choice reserves the right to update, modify, replace, terminate or otherwise change, at any time and in our sole
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
The Company generates revenue from qualified vendors.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesItem 9
You also acknowledge and agree combined; and (ii) we, and any of our affiliates and other that you are obligated to comply with all information security and franchisees may now or in the future engage in transient lodging data privacy standards and requirements contained in the Rules or related business activities…
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
QUALITY ASSURANCE We may administer a mystery shopper program or quality assurance review that may include periodic visits to your hotel (by us or authorized third parties) and/or guest satisfaction surveys to evaluate your compliance with your membership agreement and the Rules and Regulations.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We may periodically revise, add to or update membership standards and other requirements by issuing revisions to the Rules and Regulations and other manuals that we may publish (Membership Agreement, Terms and Conditions, Section 5(a)).
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
We must approve the site you select.
Marketing
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesFranchise agreement
Participate in and honor the terms of any loyalty, discount or promotional program and pay d.
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
However, you must have a certified General Manager at your hotel.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We reserve the right to charge you a tuition fee for these additional training programs as established by us from time to time.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 6
An owner must attend our annual convention.
The filing answers no to 6 questions
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Item 11
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Item 11
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?Item 9
- Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
The vendor opportunity at Ascend Collection Hotel
Ascend Collection Hotel, a soft-brand lodging concept within the Choice Hotels portfolio, operates 184 franchised units across the United States. The brand’s most recent Franchise Disclosure Document, filed in 2026, shows a year-over-year unit growth of approximately 1.1%, indicating a stable but slowly expanding footprint. For software vendors, the opportunity lies not in rapid unit proliferation but in the deeply integrated, mandated technology environment that governs every property. Because all locations are franchised and no company-owned units are disclosed, the buyer is squarely at the corporate level—Choice Hotels International’s headquarters in Maryland—rather than a fragmented base of independent owner-operators.
While average unit volume (AUV) is not disclosed in the FDD, the brand’s positioning within the Ascend Collection suggests properties with higher revenue potential than economy-tier flags. Vendors targeting this account should frame their value proposition around integration with the existing mandated stack and the ability to drive incremental revenue or operational efficiency for a corporate-controlled technology ecosystem.
Who controls software purchasing
Software purchasing authority for Ascend Collection Hotel sits with the executive leadership team at Choice Hotels International. The 2026 FDD Item 1 lists Patrick S. Pacious as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, with Dominic E. Dragisich serving as Executive Vice President, Operations and Chief Global Brand Officer, and David A. Pepper as Chief Development Officer. These roles, particularly Dragisich and Pepper, are the most likely gatekeepers for technology decisions affecting the Ascend Collection brand. Simone Wu, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, also holds a corporate secretary role that may intersect with vendor contract review.
Because the brand mandates specific technology systems across all properties, the decision-making process is centralized. A vendor selling into this account must engage the corporate office rather than individual franchisees. The absence of any mapped operator footprint in our corpus reinforces this: no individual franchisee groups are identified as having independent purchasing authority.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2026 FDD confirms a tightly prescribed technology environment. ChoiceADVANTAGE, the proprietary property management system from Choice Hotels, is mandated across all Ascend Collection properties. SkyTouch Technology, a cloud-based hotel operations platform also developed by Choice, is similarly required. Payment processing is locked in with Shift4 Payments, a mandated vendor. ChoiceConnect, the brand’s central reservations and connectivity hub, rounds out the core mandated stack. Additionally, ChoiceNow is listed, likely as a recommended or mandated system for direct-booking or loyalty integration.
For a software vendor, this means any new solution must either integrate seamlessly with ChoiceADVANTAGE and SkyTouch or address a gap that the mandated stack does not cover—such as niche revenue management, guest experience, or back-of-house tools that sit outside the PMS and payments core. The presence of Shift4 as the mandated payment processor also signals that payment-adjacent software (e.g., tipping, surcharging, or alternative tender types) would need to work within that relationship.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The FDD does not include an Item 8 extract, so the formal procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier list, or open market—is not publicly disclosed. Similarly, Item 17, which would outline renewal terms and contract windows, is absent from our extract. This lack of visibility means vendors cannot rely on publicly known renewal cycles to time their outreach. The initial franchise term length is also not disclosed in the available data.
Given the centralized purchasing authority and the mandated nature of the core tech stack, vendors should assume a formal RFP or vendor review process managed by the corporate operations or IT team. The stable unit count and low growth rate suggest that technology refreshes may be driven by corporate strategic initiatives rather than new unit openings. Monitoring executive changes, earnings calls, or technology partnership announcements from Choice Hotels International would be a practical way to identify upcoming opportunities.
How to read the Ascend Collection Hotel FDD
The Ascend Collection Hotel Franchise Disclosure Document for 2026 is the primary source for the data points above. It is filed with state franchise regulators and contains detailed information on the brand’s executive team, fee structure, mandated technology, and franchisee obligations. The embedded PDF viewer below provides full access to the document. For software vendors, the most relevant sections are Item 1 (executives), Item 11 (mandated systems and suppliers), and, when available, Items 8 and 17 for procurement and renewal terms. Use this FDD to validate the decision-makers and tech stack before building your pitch. For a ranked target list of franchise brands matched to your software category, FranCloud can help.
Ordinary royalty terms
Complete royalty terms are not confirmed.
Questions vendors ask
Ascend Collection Hotel, answered from the filing
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Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
12 operators run 12 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Top states by locations
| MO | 4 |
|---|---|
| CA | 2 |
| WY | 1 |
| NM | 1 |
| WI | 1 |
Related Lodging brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Read the original filing for definitions, conditions, and qualifications.