Maryland-based hotel franchiser Choice Hotels International is rapidly expanding its US presence, according to data from the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database.

Our database, which focuses on 4-star and 5-star properties, indicates that Choice will add 57 projects and 7,296 rooms to its portfolio in the coming years.

We take a look at where the company is focusing its expansion efforts on and highlight a few key projects.

A busy few months in store despite coronavirus

Choice is planning to roll out 18 openings with 1,940 rooms over the remainder of 2020, the data suggests; at present, only four of these properties are in the pre-opening phase. Since the situation around Covid19 is fluid and difficult to predict, however, it’s currently not possible to say for certain which if any of these launches will have to be postponed due to the pandemic.

Yet even without counting potential spillover from 2020, 27 hotels with 3,662 keys are in the pipeline for 2021. Moreover, 2022 will see five openings with 603 rooms, and seven properties are planned for 2023 and beyond.

North America is key for Choice

We can clearly see that Choice is focussing its growth plans on North America – 56 properties with 7,120 rooms are scheduled to open there. 55 of these hotels (with 7,050 keys) will be in the US, while a solitary 70-room property will open in Canada.

Italy and Brazil are the only two countries on the company’s radar outside North America, with each set to welcome one property. A 28-room hotel is on the way in the former, and a 235-key site is coming to the latter.

Choice’s fastest-growing hotel brands

Choice is really pushing the Cambria Hotels brand at the moment, with 43 openings and 5,950 rooms planned, according to our data. Next up in terms of number of properties in the pipeline is Comfort Inn, which has just nine new hotels and 931 rooms.

Elsewhere, Ascend Collection and Comfort Suites will get three and two new properties respectively.

Interesting hotel projects in the Choice pipeline

The 247-room Cambria at LA Live is the largest hotel currently in the company’s pipeline, according to the database. It will be on a corner lot at James M Wood Boulevard and Georgia Street, just north of LA Live. This will give guests quick and easy access to one of LA’s premier lifestyle and entertainment venues, making it a convenient hotel for both business and leisure travellers.

In Calabasas, California, a 125-room Cambria Hotel will open right next to the Santa Monica mountain range with limitless trails for hiking and mountain biking. The Cambria Hotel Calabasas is also close to major corporations and tourist attractions, including DIRECTV, Mattel, Universal Studios & Hollywood, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Disneyland, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. The property will have ample meeting space, a fitness centre, outdoor pool, and an open-air dining patio on a hillside site that backs up onto the mountains.

Another head-turner, the 133-room Cambria Hotel Ocean City, will offer spacious guest rooms with private balconies overlooking the Isle of Wight Bay, a popular drive-to destination from Washington DC and Baltimore. A variety of F&B venues, plus recreational facilities including a pool, gym and outdoor fire pits, will give guests plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy themselves. Those wishing to explore the area will doubtless appreciate that the boardwalk is only steps away too and leads directly into Downtown Ocean City, which is known for its great selection of boutique shops, restaurants, bars and other attractions.

Lastly, in Santa Clara, a 190-room Cambria Hotel will replace an existing commercial building near the San Jose International Airport and Levi’s Stadium. This should make the property ideal for leisure travellers in town for a game or concert, as well as crew and staff working at the airport or stadium.

Let’s take a look at some other Choice hotel projects: