MILWAUKEE, WIS. � (MAY 30, 2003) As travelers demand more value from their lodging choices, Baymont Inns & Suites sustains its �Best In Class� positioning in the midscale without food and beverage segment through strong marketing, an enhanced product embraced by consumers, rising contributions from its two-way, central reservation center and an aggressive approach to growing occupancy in a down market. The result is a significant rise in its revenue per available room, compared with competitive hotels in its middle market segment, and increased brand awareness among travelers.

Baymont Inns & Suites continues to experience significant increases in its revenue per available room while the midscale segment experiences decreases. During the first four months of 2003, Baymont Inns & Suites� Smith Travel Research competitive set reports a 1.0 percent drop in RevPAR, while the entire midscale without food and beverage segment dropped by 2.7 percent.  Baymont Inns & Suites� market share has increased as a result, according to Smith Travel Research.

�Maintaining value amidst today�s economy does not mean cutting back on marketing initiatives or on property improvements,� said Jim Abrahamson, president and chief operating officer of Baymont Inns & Suites. �Ultimately, these efforts enhance the guest experience and build brand loyalty and recognition.

�Our owners and managers are finding that aggressive sales activities, maximizing Baymont Inns & Suites� revenue and e-channel demand generators, and providing exceptional customer service backed by a 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, immediately drives revenue,� said Abrahamson.

�Television and print advertising focusing on quality, comfort and price point has helped our brand awareness grow rapidly,� he said.  �We have achieved an increase in occupancy from both leisure and business travelers and, according to recent statistics released from D.K. Shifflet, awareness of the Baymont Inns & Suites brand among business travelers increased by 14 percent.�

Brand Differential

Baymont Inns & Suites is continually looking for new ways to lead the industry, said Abrahamson.

�Renewing our commitment to quality and excellence in service; managing distribution channels that bring guests to our doors; and seeing to it that those guests recognize the value received during their stay are just some of the ways we differentiate the Baymont brand from the others.�

Several factors have led to the strong position Baymont Inns & Suites holds in the mid-market segment, namely its Guest Ovations® Loyalty Program; Ovations Rooms�, a 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, and a new two-way, central reservations system. 

For example, Abrahamson has set the Baymont brand apart from its competitors through its Ovations Rooms� program in five distinct areas: the Bed, with its Down Lite� pillows and pillow top mattresses; the Bath, with its fluffy towels and premium soap; Breakfast, with upgraded offerings, including French toast and waffles; Benefits such as the Guest Ovations® loyalty program and free in-room bottled water; and Business needs such as task lamps and a larger in-room work area.

"Today's hotel guests demand value for their money," Abrahamson said. "We have succeeded in showing the immense value they receive when staying in a Baymont Inns & Suites guestroom. The guests see and enjoy all of the things that make our properties and guestrooms stand out above those of the competition."

Reservations Reap Rewards

The move to a cost-efficient, two-way interface for the reservations system, combined with increasing occupancy rates, also has positioned Baymont Inns & Suites as a market leader.  In the first four months of 2003, total brand bookings through the CRS were up 28 percent. Rooms booked through the Guest Ovations® Loyalty Program were up 30 percent, business booked through the global-distribution systems rose by 17.6 percent and website bookings are up 79 percent.

�Our new, two-way CRS provides last-room availability through all global-distribution system channels and improves the integrity of our central reservations center with our customers,� Abrahamson said. �Reservation system performance in week-to-week comparisons from the same time periods in 2002 show revenue contribution increases for every week this year.�

Dan Daniele, president of Baymont Franchises International, concurred, saying that Baymont�s central reservation system contribution has shown outstanding improvement in 2003 when compared to 2002. Gains in excess of 20 percent are being recorded, he said. 

�The central reservations center contribution has been consistent,� Daniele said. �Now, with full rollout of our two-way reservations capability, our central reservations capability is on par with the major brands.  As a result, we expect our numbers to continue increasing.�

Mid-market properties face tough competition, he said, and it is important that a hotel company fully understands the challenges of a very competitive marketplace. Baymont Inns & Suites better understands the mid-market because it owns and operates its own properties and can have unique insight into what it takes to increase revenue.

"Clearly the success of our Ovations Rooms and enhanced bookings through our two-way reservations system are an indication that Baymont Inns & Suites is gaining strength and establishing itself in a position of leadership in the lodging industry's middle market," Abrahamson said. "Those who predicted long-term declines for the industry may not have considered the resolve and strength of Baymont Inns & Suites and its franchisees, and our commitment to grow market share as the industry recovers.

"At Baymont Inns & Suites, we look for ways to lead and to challenge the industry,� he said.  �We�re not going to simply wait for the recovery to happen,� he said.

About Baymont Inns & Suites
Baymont Inns & Suites continues to be a leading brand in the mid-market segment. The brand offers a 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, and has made a huge investment in its frequent-stay program�Guest Ovations®�with more than 250,000 members and growing. Under the 110% Satisfaction Guarantee, if any guest is dissatisfied with any aspect of his or her night's stay and the hotel is unable to resolve the problem, the guest will receive their night�s stay for free, plus a coupon for a 10-percent discount on their next stay at any Baymont Inns & Suites hotel. In addition, Baymont�s Ovations Rooms offer upscale amenities not found in competitive mid-market hotels, such as plush pillow-top mattresses, Down Lite� pillows, fluffy towels, branded bath products, and free in-room bottled water. The rooms also feature an enhanced workstation with an executive-sized desk, comfortable ergonomic chair and task lamp with a data port.

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Baymont Inns & Suites, a mid-priced lodging chain that operates or franchises 182 locations in 31 states nationwide, is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS). For more information on The Marcus Corporation, go to www.marcuscorp.com. For more information, visit www.baymontinns.com.