What franchise or flag brand requirements influence land design and layout?

Franchise or flag brand requirements play a significant role in shaping the design, layout, and site planning of a hotel development. These requirements are codified in each brand’s design and development standards, which define the architectural style, room count, site access, amenity package, signage, and parking. Understanding these early in the process is essential to secure brand approval and optimize site design for efficiency, guest experience, and construction feasibility.

1. Minimum Lot Size and Frontage Requirements

• Most hotel brands specify a minimum lot size depending on hotel type and service level:
  
  • Limited-service (e.g., Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield): typically 1.5 to 2 acres
    
  • Extended-stay (e.g., Home2 Suites, Staybridge): 2 to 2.5 acres
    
  • Full-service (e.g., Hilton, Sheraton): 3+ acres, often with additional frontage
    
• Adequate street frontage is required for visibility, signage, and a formal entry/drop-off point.
  
• Corner parcels are especially favored, but must provide enough usable area after ROW and sight triangle restrictions.
  

2. Building Orientation and Guest Access

• Flags require consistent building orientation to maximize visibility, operational efficiency, and branding.
  
• Front-of-house zones (lobby, entrance canopy, signage) must face the primary street or access drive.
  
• Back-of-house areas (service loading, waste management, laundry) must be screened and accessed from the side or rear.
  
• Drop-off areas must be integrated with covered entrances and meet ADA slope requirements.
  
• For drive-thru-style or limited-contact formats (some extended-stay brands), orientation must allow quick vehicle circulation.
  

3. Brand-Specific Parking Ratios and Layouts

• Hotel franchises define minimum parking requirements, sometimes exceeding local zoning standards.
  
  • Limited-service: 1.0–1.1 spaces per room
    
  • Extended-stay: 1.1–1.25 spaces per room
    
  • Full-service: 1.25–1.5 spaces per room, plus event or restaurant-specific stalls
    
• Parking must be well-lit, landscaped, and located to allow clear guest flow from car to lobby.
  
• Some brands allow shared or structured parking for mixed-use sites, but this must be disclosed during franchise application.
  

4. Signage, Branding, and Height Requirements

• Franchise agreements specify sign type, size, and height—including monument signs, building signage, and wayfinding.
  
• Visibility from major roads, highways, or intersections is often a minimum visibility requirement.
  
• Flags may require minimum building height or story count (e.g., 3 or 4 floors) to support brand identity.
  
• Some brands mandate roofline signage or architectural features visible from 300–500 feet away.
  

5. Amenity Placement and Public Space Programming

• Franchise design standards include requirements for:
  
  • Lobby size and ceiling height
    
  • Fitness rooms, breakfast areas, outdoor spaces (for extended-stay)
    
  • Conference or meeting rooms (full-service only)
    
• These features influence building footprint, internal layout, and circulation paths.
  
• Outdoor amenities (e.g., patios, grilling areas, pools) must be integrated into rear or courtyard space and screened from public view.