Choice Hotels has revealed it will nearly double its market presence in France, after agreeing to add a further 50 hotels to its portfolio.
The new properties will be under the Quality Suites brand, taking Choice to 107 franchised hotels in a market that is key to success in Europe. The additions will add more than 30 new city and town markets to the spread of the Choice brands across the French market, adding urban destinations such as Marseille, Toulouse, and Bordeaux, as well as smaller tourist hotspots including Dinan, Meze and Quiberon.
A major push into international markets
“This European expansion builds upon our significant international rooms growth already achieved in Asia and the Americas this year,” said Choice CEO Pat Pacious. “By nearly doubling our footprint in France, we’re not only reinforcing our commitment to expanding our direct franchise business but simultaneously enhancing our value proposition for guests and franchisees.”
It is not yet clear what brand or affiliation the new hotels will be migrating from, and this has not been revealed by Choice. But the additions build on considerable momentum in the French market.
In 2024, Choice signed a 20 year strategic agreement with French operating partner Zenitude. That agreement envisaged the addition of over 30 hotels to the Choice portfolio, migrating existing properties to the Choice brands through 2024 and 2025. The 4,400 rooms have joined Choice brands including Clarion, Comfort and Ascend.
As the local partner, Zenitude has been managing the conversion of the properties, with Choice providing support in the refits to meet brand standards. Implementing the Choice franchisee support system means the properties now benefit from state of the art IT and reservation systems, making for more efficient room rate setting to optimise returns.
France is not the only market in Europe where Choice is making progress with international expansion. So far in 2025, it has also added more properties in Scandinavia, where a longstanding relationship with local partner Strawberry is adding five more hotels, as well as a runway of new signings due to open in 2026. The pair recently opened the 336 room Comfort Hotel Panorama Goteborg, following renovation.
Growing in Hispanic markets
And in Spain, Choice has teamed up with Faranda Hotels, which has a foot in both Europe and Latin America, and is also working with Sercotel. Combined, these partnerships are set to further grow Choice’s presence across Spain.
Elsewhere, Choice is growing its presence in Brazil, partnering with Atlantica Hospitality International. There, it already has 70 Choice branded hotels. The group also recently opened Radisson Blu Bariloche in Argentina. And in Canada, Choice Hotels has acquired the outstanding stake it did not own in Choice Hotels Canada, giving it greater control over its franchising activities in the country, with the promise of accelerated growth.
