Red Roof Inn

Red Roof Inn is an economy hotel chain in the United States. Red Roof Inn properties are often distinguished by the large dark-red shingle roof that gives them their name. There are over 340 Red Roof Inns, primarily in the Midwest, Southern, and Eastern United States. Standard amenities include: bedding, cable television, clock radios, coffee and cappuccino centers located in the lobby, and free unlimited local calling. Certain locations may provide a continental breakfast and swimming pool. All-Inclusive King rooms provide free high-speed wireless internet access, and unlimited free local and long-distance calling. Red Roof Inn is a pet-friendly hotel chain.^[1]

History

The Red Roof Inn chain began in Columbus, Ohio. The company was founded by carpeter named Jim Trueman in 1972 with the intention to provide guests with a clean, comfortable room at an affordable price. The oldest hotel (Inn #3) is still operating as a Red Roof Inn, located on East Cork Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was built in 1973 and last renovated in 2004.

The original slogan was "Sleep Cheap." T-shirts were sold on property with this slogan, and the public bought them up. With the increase of prices due to inflation in 1987 and 1988, the prices of the chain, while still lower than most of its direct competitors like Budgetel (now Baymont) and Days Inn, were too high to be cheap. Thus, the slogan was changed to "Hit The Roof."

In the late-1990s, actor Martin Mull starred in a series of television and radio advertisements for Red Roof Inn.

Accor acquired Red Roof Inns in 1999 for $1.115 billion,^[2] adding 324 properties and 37,208 rooms.^[3]

In April 2007, Accor announced the sale of Red Roof Inns to Citigroup Global Special Situations Group and Westbridge Hospitality Fund LP for $1.32 billion.^[4] As part of the sale, some locations will be re-branded as part of Accor's flagship North American brand, Motel 6, which Accor will focus exclusively on the North American market after the sale is complete.

Future

New prototype design

Red Roof Inn launched a new building design for future Red Roof Inns. The short lived slogan was 'RAISE DA ROOF'. However the NAACP filed suit claiming it was not representing the African American community properly. It has updated contemporary features and a broad customer appeal. Its Center lobby design differs from many current Red Roof Inn buildings, due to the fact that guest rooms will no longer be accessed from outside entrances, but through internal corridors.^[5]

References

External links

[1] ttp://www.redroof.com/about_the_roof/profiles/rri.asp

[2] ttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3072/is_14_214/ai_n27551852/

[3] ttp://www.accor.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Contenus_Accor/Finance/Documentation/EN/sem99_pres_gb_1.pdf

[4] ttp://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/23/ap3642723.html

[New_Prototype_Design-5] New prototype design^{[dead link]}

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