Choice Hotel Group

What Choice Hotel Group does

Choice Hotel Group (legal entity: Elevate Hotel Group Ltd.) is a privately held Irish hospitality management company founded in 1999, headquartered in Balbriggan, Dublin with a secondary office in London. The company owns, leases, and operates a current portfolio of five 4-star hotels across Ireland — The Hardiman (Galway, 103 rooms), Hotel Woodstock (Ennis, 67 rooms), The House Hotel (Galway, 48 rooms), The Walter Raleigh Hotel (Youghal, 41 rooms), and Shoreline Hotel (Donabate, 35 rooms) — supplemented by standalone pub concepts (The Central/Mrs. O's, Her Upstairs, MacNeill's Irish Pub) and the Fonté Coffee Ireland wholesale distribution business. The company also offers franchise services under a Master Franchise Agreement with Choice Hotels International held since inception, alongside portfolio collaborations with Hilton and Marriott.

The company's revenue model is multi-stream: hotel management fees and long-term lease income from operated properties, franchise fees and support services for independent hotels, managed services for pubs and restaurants, wholesale coffee distribution, and ancillary revenue from gift vouchers sold via the Bookin1 e-commerce platform. Underlying technology comprises standard hospitality systems including SHR Group booking/PMS, Procure Wizard for group-wide procurement, Sage accounting integration, Power BI and Google Analytics for marketing analytics, CRM platforms, GDS connectivity, and the proprietary gift voucher storefront. The centralised procurement model, leveraging Procure Wizard with group-scale preferred supplier agreements, is a stated operational efficiency differentiator.

The go-to-market is hybrid B2B and B2C. B2B channels focus on direct sales to hotel owners, investors, banks, and financial institutions offering management contracts, long-term leases, asset advisory, and franchise services. B2C channels include direct hotel bookings via own websites, OTAs, GDS for international leisure and corporate travel, email/newsletter marketing, social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube), seasonal campaigns, and the gift voucher platform. Customer segments span hotel owners/investors (primary), banks/financial institutions, independent hotels seeking franchise affiliation, individual leisure travellers, family/group travellers, active retired (50+), and corporate/event bookers. CEO Andrew O'Neill has led the company since 2015, following a 2016 trade sale of leases and management contracts to Dalata plc that materially reduced the portfolio from a peak of 29 hotels.

Name

Choice Hotel Group

Legal name

Elevate Hotel Group Ltd.

Website

https://choicehotelgroup.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Management Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Traveler Accommodation (7211)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Led Boutique Hotels (THAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG)

Keywords

• Hotel management services
• Hospitality management
• Hotel franchise services
• Asset management advisory
• Hotel procurement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Malahide

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hotel Management Fees: Fees earned from managing hotels under management agreements, providing full operational oversight including finance, HR, sales, marketing, e-commerce, and procurement support.
2. Hotel Leasing: Long-term lease arrangements for hospitality properties where the company operates under its own control.
3. Franchise Services: Master franchise partnership with Choice Hotels International and franchise services for independent hotels seeking global brand affiliations. Revenue from franchise fees and support services.
4. Procurement Services: Centralised purchasing model providing preferred supplier agreements to managed properties, creating cost efficiencies and potentially earning referral or volume-based fees.
5. Coffee Distribution: Distribution of Fonté specialty coffee to hotels, pubs, and cafes across Ireland. Revenue from wholesale coffee sales.
6. Pub & Restaurant Management: Management of standalone pub and restaurant venues including MacNeill's Irish Pub, Her Upstairs rooftop bar, and hotel F&B concepts.
7. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers redeemable across Choice Hotel Group properties for accommodations, dining, and experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Choice Hotel Group is an Irish hospitality management company that owns, manages, leases, and franchises hotels, pubs, restaurants, and coffee distribution operations. Its portfolio includes five hotels across Ireland, standalone pub concepts, and a specialty coffee distribution business, supplemented by franchise services (Master Franchise with Choice Hotels International, Hilton, Marriott), centralized procurement, and direct consumer services such as gift vouchers.

Product overview

Choice Hotel Group is a hospitality management company operating a portfolio of five 4-star and 5-star hotels across Ireland (The Hardiman in Galway, The House Hotel in Galway, Hotel Woodstock in Ennis, Shoreline Hotel in Donabate, and The Walter Raleigh Hotel in Youghal), supplemented by pub concepts (The Central/Mrs. O's, Her Upstairs, MacNeill's Irish Pub), and Fonté Coffee distribution. The company offers integrated service modules including hotel management agreements and leases, franchise services (including Master Franchise Agreement with Choice Hotels International), centralized procurement, and pub/restaurant management. The group operates through leases, management agreements, and franchise services for independent hotels and hospitality venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fonté Coffee: Premium specialty coffee brand imported from Seattle, Washington (founded 1992 by Paul Odom). Distributed across hotels, pubs and cafés in Ireland. Fonté Coffee has served clients including Wynn Las Vegas, Four Seasons, St. Regis Peninsula, The Phoenician, and Fred's at Barneys.

Products and services

• The Hardiman 4-star, 103-bedroom hotel in Eyre Square, Galway City with events and weddings venue, bar and restaurants including Gaslight Brasserie, Oyster Bar, and MacNeill's Pub.
• The House Hotel 48-bedroom boutique hotel in Galway City, near Quay Street and Shop Street, providing access to the city centre and Wild Atlantic Way attractions.
• Hotel Woodstock 67-bedroom family-run hotel in Ennis, Co. Clare with events and weddings facilities, Shanaway Bistro restaurant, swimming pool, and proximity to the Cliffs of Moher.
• Shoreline Hotel 35-bedroom seaside hotel in Donabate, Co. Dublin with events and weddings venue, Shoreline Brasserie restaurant, located 20 minutes from Dublin City Centre with beach access.
• The Walter Raleigh Hotel 41-bedroom hotel in Youghal, Co. Cork with events and weddings facilities and brasserie restaurant, located on the Victorian promenade with Blue Flag beach access.
• Pub Management Operations (The Central / Mrs. O's, Her Upstairs, MacNeill's Irish Pub) Stand-alone pub and restaurant management covering The Central (Mrs. O's) classic Irish pub in Balbriggan, the Her Upstairs rooftop cocktail bar with terrace and The Good Rooms event space, and MacNeill's Irish Pub gastropub beneath The Hardiman Hotel in Galway with traditional Irish dishes, live music and an extensive whiskey selection.
• Hotel Management Agreements and Leases B2B service offering management contracts for hotels, bars, and restaurants, and long-term lease arrangements where Choice Hotel Group operates hospitality properties under its own control with full operational oversight.
• Franchise Services (Choice Hotels International, Hilton, Marriott) B2B franchise services including the Master Franchise Agreement with Choice Hotels International, plus franchise collaborations with Hilton and Marriott, providing independent hotels access to GDS integration, corporate accounts, loyalty programmes, brand standards, strategic planning, and relationship building with global partners.
• Choice Procurement Centralized purchasing service providing managed properties with supplier network access, preferred supplier agreements, cost auditing, quarterly business reviews, monthly stock takes, marketing partnerships, transparent tendering via the Procure Wizard platform, online ordering, approval workflows, and invoice management connected to accounting systems.
• Asset Management and Advisory Services Advisory services for hotel owners, banks and financial institutions covering hotel performance improvement, asset management, trading statement reviews and capital project planning.
• Gift Vouchers Digital and physical gift vouchers in pre-set and custom denominations, valid for 5 years, redeemable across Choice Hotel Group properties for accommodations, dining and experiences, sold via shop.bookin1.com.
• Choice Coffee Distribution (Fonté Coffee) Wholesale distribution service supplying Fonté specialty coffee beans to hotels, pubs, and cafés across Ireland, leveraging the parent group's hospitality relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully opened 12 hotels with proven track record in performance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fonté CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership to bring Fonté specialty coffee from Seattle to Ireland in 2016. Fonté Micro Coffee Roaster founded in 1992 in Seattle by Paul Odom, providing optimally sourced and roasted coffee. Serves luxury hotels globally including Wynn Las Vegas, Four Seasons, and St. Regis.
• Dalata plcminorOthers · 1 January 2016In 2015-2016, CEO Andrew O'Neill negotiated and led a successful trade sale of leases and management contracts to Dalata plc. Completion in 2016 was regarded as one of the most successful lease multiple deals in the Irish hotel sector.
• Choice Hotels InternationalcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 1999Since 1999, Choice Hotel Group has proudly held the Master Franchise Agreement for Choice Hotels International. Several properties operate under Choice Hotels' white-label brands. This partnership provides access to global distribution, loyalty programmes, and corporate accounts.
• HiltonminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPortfolio collaboration with leading global player Hilton for hotel franchise services and brand partnerships.
• MarriottminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPortfolio collaboration with Marriott for hotel franchise services and brand partnerships alongside other major hospitality brands.
• SHR GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology solution provider for booking engines and property management systems. Referenced as SHR Group Solution on the company website for hotel operations.
• Procure WizardcoreTechnology or IntegrationGroup-wide procurement platform used for transparent tender process, online ordering, approval workflows, and invoice management connected to accounting systems.
• Travel Management Companies (TMCs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal sales and marketing structure providing representation through sales calls and relationships with Travel Management Companies for corporate account bookings.
• Consortia AgenciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRepresentation through consortia agency relationships for global distribution and preferred agreement terms in corporate travel.
• Leisure Wholesalers and OperatorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with leisure wholesalers and operators for package holiday distribution and tour operator relationships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hodson Bay Group: Privately held Irish hospitality group operating hotels, resorts, and leisure properties across Ireland. Comparable family-controlled hospitality management company operating full-service hotels.
• MHL Hotel Collection: Irish-owned hotel management group operating a portfolio of upscale and luxury hotels across Ireland. Comparable independent hotel operator with similar management-and-lease structure.
• Red Carnation Hotels: Family-owned collection of boutique and luxury hotels with a strong presence in Ireland and the UK. Comparable independent, owner-operated hotel group focused on full-service, design-led properties.
• iNua Hospitality: Irish hotel management and operating group formed in 2019, operating multiple 4-star properties across Ireland. Direct peer in Irish hotel management, franchise, and operations.
• The Doyle Collection: Family-owned Irish hotel group operating upscale urban and resort hotels in Ireland, the UK, and the US. Comparable Irish-rooted, multi-property operator with full-service F&B and events.
• Dalata Hotel Group: Ireland's largest hotel operator (Clayton and Maldron brands). Acquired Choice Hotel Group's leases and management contracts in 2016 — the most directly comparable Irish hotel management/operating peer by geography, scale, and model.
• O'Callaghan Collection: Irish-owned hotel group operating full-service hotels in Dublin and other key Irish cities. Comparable Irish hotel operator with similar mid-market to upper-market positioning.
• Tifco Hotel Group: Ireland-based hotel ownership and management company operating branded and independent hotels across Ireland and the UK. Comparable in business model (management/franchise) and geographic focus.
• Brookfield Hotels: Irish hospitality group operating a portfolio of 4-star hotels across Ireland. Comparable Irish hotel management and operating peer at similar scale.

Broad incumbents

• Choice Hotels International: US-based franchisor of Comfort, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria and other brands — Choice Hotel Group's master franchise partner since 1999. Not a direct competitor but the principal platform partner and comparable broad incumbent in hotel franchising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/choicehotelgrp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Choice Hotel Group