Best Western Premier Number 1 in J.D. Power 2019 Upscale Segment North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study

PHOENIX, Arizona (July 24, 2019) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BWHR) celebrates its continued dedication to guest satisfaction, announcing today that Best Western Premier has been named #1 in the upscale segment in the J.D. Power 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study.

“We are honored to be recognized for guest satisfaction by J.D. Power, and I am particularly proud that Best Western Premier is the highest ranked in the upscale segment,” said David Kong, President and Chief Executive Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Through our journey of transformation we have placed significant importance on the guest experience, and I am pleased to see this commitment reflected in our brands. As we have expanded our portfolio to offer options from economy to luxury, we will continue to make customer care a top priority.”

Best Western Premier is one of BWHR’s most exclusive offerings, which brings a notably refined and elegant travel experience to today’s discerning travelers. The upscale brand was introduced in North America in 2011 as part of the company’s descriptor program after 8 years of success in Europe and Asia. Today, Best Western Premier hotels are setting a higher standard for travelers with stylish designs, attention to detail and personalized service.

“Best Western Premier truly exemplifies what today’s Best Western has to offer travelers and developers,” said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Beyond the exceptional offerings and remarkable growth, it is the commitment of our hotel owners who are driving the success of Best Western Premier as an industry leading brand.”

The brand has experienced tremendous growth boasting 126 active properties globally and an additional 53 in the global pipeline. The North American footprint continues to grow significantly with 41 active and 34 pipeline hotels in the region. Located in highly desirable travel destinations, Best Western Premier hotels can be found in cities such as New York, NY; Paris, France; Miami, FL; Barcelona, Spain; Calgary, Alberta; Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Bangkok, Thailand and at the Grand Canyon, AZ. With the number of hotels set to double in the next few years, the brand shows no signs of slowing down and continues to deliver exceptional guest service.

Best Western Premier is an example of BWHR’s commitment to listening to guest feedback and using it to steer and implement change across each of its brands. In doing so, BWHR has driven improvements across all properties in areas like cleanliness of rooms, a caring staff attitude and working order of room amenities. BWHR continues to celebrate the valued guests who have been with the brand throughout its evolution, and will continue solidifying its position as a go-to travel solution for guests across all segments.

For more information on Best Western Hotels & Resorts, please visit BestWestern.com.

About Best Western® Hotels & Resorts:

Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of approximately 4,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide‡. Best Western offers 16 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market. Best Western branded hotels include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vib®, GLo®, Aiden®, Sadie®, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, Best Western now also offers WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands. Completing its portfolio, Best Western offers SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, and SureStay Collection® franchises,**. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-midscale and midscale hotel brands respectively for two consecutive years, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in breakfast (food and beverage category) in the J.D. Power 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first for midscale; and second for upper midscale. Nearly 40 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.

* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

**All Best Western, WorldHotels and SureStay branded hotels are independently owned and operated.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Best Western Introduces We Care Clean Program

Our Commitment To Keeping You Safe And Healthy With Industry-Leading Cleaning Standards

As the world begins to gradually reopen, we are excited to welcome our loyal guests back to our hotels while meeting your health and wellbeing standards. When you are ready to travel again, we understand that you will understandably have a heightened awareness and expectation of cleanliness when it comes to your choice of accommodations.

For nearly 75-years, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts has been an industry leader in our reputation for providing you with clean, well-maintained accommodations. In 2012, we became the first hotel brand to set a high-level of cleanliness with the roll out of our I Care Clean program in partnership with IDEO. At the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were among the first in the industry to roll out standards and best practices to enhance our cleaning protocol. Now, as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping you safe and healthy during these challenging times, we have expanded on those industry-leading cleaning standards with the launch of the new We Care Clean^SM program

Front Desk and Lobby

Guestroom and Housekeeping

Temporary Breakfast Offerings

While recognizing the importance of a quality breakfast, offerings have been adapted to prioritize your health and safety, including:

Public Amenities

Hotel Employees and Staff Requirements:

Best Western Flexible Cancellation Policy for Reservations Made by June 30, 2020

Important Update for our Guests

The health, welfare and safety of our guests, employees and hoteliers is paramount at Best Western® Hotels & Resorts. The COVID-19 health crisis has had a tremendous impact on families, communities and businesses around the world. We understand that your travel plans may have been affected by the rapidly changing information on travel restrictions and event cancellations. With your safety and satisfaction at the heart of Best Western, we are working diligently to support you during this challenging time.

Best Western Cancellation Policy ~ Effective Date: March 23, 2020

As we continue to monitor the impact of COVID–19, the Best Western Hotels & Resorts cancellation policy is as follows:

• Cancellation Policy Frequently Asked Questions