| ATLANTA (Dec. 4, 1998) - Buenos Aires-based developer Guillermo
Santaella has broken ground on Microtel's second international hotel in
Buenos Aires/Costa Salguero. Located at Av. Rafael Obligado y Jeronimo
Salguero s/n - Costanera, the hotel faces the river and is five minutes
from the Jorge Newbery Airport and the Costanera downtown shopping and
entertainment area. A mid-1999 opening is planned.
"The Buenos Aires/Costa Salguero property is another example of Microtel's
growing presence internationally," said Charlie Pereira, director of international
sales for U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS), owner of the Microtel
brand. "We are continuing to work
with Mr. Santaella to bring more Microtels to Argentina and will soon
introduce the concept to Uruguay as well." Microtel, the fastest
growing chain of all newly-constructed, interior corridor, budget hotels
in the U.S., also has a property under construction in San Pedro Sula,
Honduras.
The Microtel Inn & Suites in Buenos Aires/Costa Salguero will be
a 73-room property. Single, double and suite accommodations will
offer queen beds, remote cable TV, CNN, ESPN, HBO and Pay-Per-View movies.
In addition, there will be meeting facilities and a 24-hour business center
with fax, copier and computer/printer services. The hotel is located inside
the premises of the Costa Salguero Convention Center, one of the largest
in Buenos Aires, and is closeby to a driving range, miniature golf, numerous
restaurants and night clubs.
"Microtel is changing the concept of the hotel industry with its mixture
of high value and comfort at an affordable price," said Santaella, president
of Hoteles Microtel Inns de Argentina S.A. of Buenos Aires.
As of December 1, 1998, there were 530 Microtels open or under development.
USFS has also signed agreements to bring the Microtel concept to Southern
Africa, Canada, the Philippines, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti,
and the Turks & Caicos Islands, and is working with companies in Mexico,
Europe and India on similar agreements.
Based in Atlanta, Ga., U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. was formed in August
1995 by Mike Leven, a 38-year veteran of the lodging industry, and Neal
Aronson, former principal of a New York investment firm, when the company
purchased the franchise system rights to Microtel Inn & Suites. U.S.
Franchise Systems acquired the franchise rights to Hawthorn Suites, an
extended-stay product, in 1996, and full ownership of the brand in March
1998. U.S. Franchise Systems also recently acquired the franchise
rights to Best Inns & Suites, a mid-level economy brand. |