U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (USFS) Chairman and CEO, Mike Leven, presented the awards during the USFS Franchise Conference in Atlanta.  USFS is the parent company of the Hawthorn Suites hotel brand.  Olson and Hawthorn Suites Ruidoso General Manager Steve Tally accepted the award. Olson commented, "The Hawthorn Suites Golf and Convention Resort in Ruidoso opened in June of 2001. For this hotel to receive such a

Mike Leven (left), CEO of US Franchise Systems awarding Hotel of the Year Award to Steve Olson (Center) CEO     of Leisure Hotels LLC and Steve Tally (Right) GM Hawthorn Suites Conference & Golf Resort, Ruidoso, NM.

The award was based on outstanding performance in several areas including financial performance; performance versus the competition; guest comment scores; franchise inspection scores; marketing programs; community involvement; and physical appearance. 

Hawthorn Suites Golf and Convention Resort is a 120-suite hotel located at the foot of the Apache Mountain Range.  The resort can be contacted at 800-527-1133 or 505-258-5500. 

Leisure Hotels, LLC is the management division of Kansas-based Leisure Group of Companies with offices in Hutchinson, Kansas, and another office in the Kansas City Metro area scheduled to open second quarter 2003. 

Leisure Hotels, LLC manages fourteen hotels in Kansas located in Dodge City, Garden City, Hutchinson, Independence, Lansing, Manhattan, Merriam/Kansas City, Pratt, Ulysses and Wichita.  Other properties include hotels located in Cedar Rapids and West Des Moines, Iowa; Columbia, Missouri; and Ruidoso, New Mexico.   It comprises a variety of well-known brands, including Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, Hampton Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Microtel Inn and Suites, Best Western, Days Inn and Super 8.  Additional Leisure managed properties are set to open in Minnesota in 2003.