Coast Hotels Of Canada Partners With Northwest Hospitality, Paramount Hotels

SEATTLE— Coast Hotels & Resorts of Canada said it has partnered with Northwest Hospitality Group of Boise, ID and Paramount Hotels of Seattle, WA, marking the first extension of the Coast Hotels & Resorts brand to the United States. Effective April 1, 2003, 15 three- and four-star hotels throughout the western United States adopt the Coast Hotels & Resorts brand, setting the stage for significant growth of the brand in the U.S. The addition of these 15 hotels in five states, combined with 20 first-class locations in western Canada, will increase the number of Coast Hotels & Resorts properties to 35, representing the largest number of hotels in the brands history, with more than 5,500 rooms and approximately 150,000 square feet of meeting space. “This partnership will allow us to fulfill our mission to establish and maintain a regional network of quality hotels and resorts,” said Robert Suits, president of Northwest Hospitality. Under the terms of the franchise licensing agreement between Coast Hotels of Canada, Northwest Hospitality Group and Paramount Hotels, all 15 properties located throughout Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, will continue operating within their existing management structure. Additional franchise licensing agreements have been made with independent hotel ownership groups, The Coast International Inn in Anchorage and The Coast Long Beach Hotel in Southern California. Each property will benefit from a state-of-the-art reservations system and website as well as centralized advertising, sales, marketing, purchasing, quality assurance and service standards, training and a dedicated IT help desk. Michael Bashaw, president/CEO of Coast Hotels & Resorts, U.S. added, “We see tremendous potential for brand growth as a result of this partnership and have plans to continue adding to our portfolio of hotels in the future. This franchise represents an alternative for hotel ownership groups looking to affiliate themselves in the upscale hotel market.”