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MainStay Suites Chesapeake in Chesapeake, Virginia, is now open. The three-story, 77-room property, owned by Ray Patel, is the first new-construction hotel to feature Choice Hotels' proprietary "Lobby in a Box" and "Kitchen in a Box" packages for extended-stay customers. It features a multi-functional lobby with a marketplace for meals, travel items and flexible seating, while enabling easy installation of in-room kitchens, Choice said in a statement. "Choice Hotels' packages have helped us add efficiency and value to this newly built property and elevate the extended-stay experience for our guests," said Patel. "From the on-the-go marketplace to the multi-use lobby to in-room kitchens, these innovations create a functional experience tailored to travelers in the Chesapeake market."

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL recently introduced Lobby in a Box, a modular design package that allows hoteliers to transform lobby dining areas into multifunctional, revenue-generating spaces in around 120 days. The offering is designed for extended-stay brands, including Suburban Studios and MainStay Suites. The package enables the conversion of standard lobby dining spaces in transient hotels, allowing hoteliers to create new income streams for the MainStay brand through a marketplace offering on-the-go food, beverages and travel essentials, Choice said in a statement. The program allows hotel owners to meet the needs of long-staying guests who prefer in-room dining with kitchens. "As demand for extended-stay accommodations continues to exceed supply, solutions like Lobby in a Box and Kitchen in a Box help franchisees seize opportunities in a growing market while providing long-staying guests a superior experience," said Matt McElhare, Choice's vice president and lead of extended-stay brands. "Our goal is to simplify the conversion process and maximize hotel owners' return on investment by giving them the tools to create functional and profitable spaces."

EXTENDED-STAY HOTELS continue to outperform other types of hotels on a regular basis, even during the pandemic. Now, large hotel companies are expanding their interests in the segment. Choice Hotels International is seeing strong performance and growth in its extended-stay brands, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts recently announced plans to launch a new extended-stay brand this year, its first in the economy segment. Coming off a good year Occupancy, ADR and RevPAR all exceeded pre-pandemic levels for Choice's established extended-stay brands, the economy brands WoodSpring Suites and Suburban Extended Stay as well as midscale brand MainStay Suites, according to the company. The company's new midscale Everhome Suites, launched in early 2020, also saw strong interest by franchisees. The overall performance is similar to what the brands saw in 2020.