A new boutique hotel group has been launched in the franchise stable at Choice Hotels Australasia (CHA) with the focus on individuality.

The point of difference of the Ascend Hotel Collection is that each property retains its own individual name, yet has access to CHA’s distribution channels, its global network and associated reservations and marketing resources.

To become an Ascend Hotel Collection member, specific requirements must be met, including a historic, boutique aesthetic and operators must be committed to service excellence.

The brand launch in Australia includes the following hotels: Castlereagh Boutique Hotel in Sydney, the Denison Boutique Hotel in Rockhampton and Gibraltar Hotel, Bowral.

CHA chief executive officer, Trent Fraser, announced the addition to the group at the Choice Hotels Conference in Darwin on 15 July, attended by existing members of the franchise group from Econo Lodge, Comfort, Quality and Clarion. The conference featured Celebrity Apprentice host and executive chairman Yellow Brick Road Mark Bouris as a keynote speaker.

Fraser said “Ascend Hotel Collection not only offer guests a unique and distinctive guest experience, but it enables hotel owners the opportunity to effectively promote their property and tap into Choice’s global resources for reservation contribution.

“I’m very pleased to say that we now have four Ascend Properties including our first Ascend Property in Sydney, the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel, and also one in New Zealand, the Metropolis in Auckland,” said Fraser.

“A strong reputation for premium service is the key to continued growth. Organisations that build vibrant and uplifting service cultures enjoy a sustainable competitive advantage, attracting and retaining better customers as well as more talented and motivated employees,” Fraser said.

CHA is rolling out an initiative for all head office team members to spend either a day or night in one of the hotels to gain a further understanding of operations and the increased focus on the customer experience.

• Choice Hotels Australasia has 270 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with in excess of 14,000 rooms.  CHA is a 100 per cent owned subsidiary of Choice Hotels International, a publicly listed (NYSE: CHH) company in the US with more than 6,100 hotels and 495,000 rooms in more than 30 countries and territories.