Franchise opportunities compared
Courtyard By Marriott vs The James
Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- The James discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only Courtyard By Marriott has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Courtyard By Marriott |  The James |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $15,129,110 – $41,181,010 Total estimated initial investment — $15,129,110–$35,570,110 (80–110); $20,399,210–$41,181,010 (120–150) 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 67 | $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | — 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 39 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed royalty record | 5% General Royalty — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | Not available No reviewed outlet counts | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | Not available Only one year reported | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1-Year Comp Hotels: franchised Courtyard hotels meeting Conditions and open 12… 871 units other 1-Year Comp Hotels sample · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 118 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — STR Included Hotels: franchised Courtyard hotels in U.S. and Canada, open at le… 28.4 % other STR Included Hotels occupancy range 28.4%–97.7% · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 118 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Included Hotels: franchised Courtyard hotels in U.S. and Canada open at least t… 46.6 % other Marriott.com share of gross room-night bookings · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 119 +1 more groups in the full report | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation |
Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.
Courtyard By Marriott vs The James: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Courtyard By Marriott or The James?
- Courtyard By Marriott: $15,129,110 – $41,181,010 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 67); The James: $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The James. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Do Courtyard By Marriott and The James disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Courtyard By Marriott has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 location groups; The James makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.