The story
Founded by Hyatt Hotels Corporation in 1983.1
The chain was founded in 1983 in Austin, Texas by Hawthorn Property Group, a real estate company based in Chicago, Illinois. The chain's first properties were in and around Austin, with two of them having been acquired from the Austin-based Brookhollow chain in 1985. It was acquired in 1986 by the Pritzker family, owners of Hyatt at the time. The brand grew from 10 hotels to 17 during the Pritzkers' ownership. In 1996 the Pritzkers signed an agreement with US Franchise Systems, Inc. granting all franchising rights for Hawthorn Suites to USFS. In early 1998 USFS purchased Hawthorn completely from the Pritzker family and continued to grow the brand at a rapid pace, reaching over 100 hotels. In November 2000 Hawthorn Suites' parent company, US Franchise Systems, was purchased by business interests of the Pritzker family. On July 21, 2008, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts purchased US Franchise Systems, Inc., owner of the Microtel Inns and Hawthorn Suites brands for $150 million. US Franchise Systems had previously sold the America's Best Inn (formerly Best Inns) chain to the Country Hearth Inns chain to brothers Mike and R. C. Patel (since renamed America's Best Franchising Inc.) in 2005.
As of September 2009, there are approximately 80 Hawthorn Suites locations and the brand continues to expand both around the country and worldwide.
From Wikipedia’s article on Hawthorn Suites, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4