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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta vs Suburban Studios

    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.

    SHSonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta2026 FDDSSSuburban Studios2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    $1,507,607 – $155,360,099

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Suburban Studios

    $348,700 – $13,997,250

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available

    Suburban Studios

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24

    Suburban Studios

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta and Suburban Studios disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta: 8, Suburban Studios: 6). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    $1,507,607 – $155,360,099
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Suburban Studios

    $348,700 – $13,997,250
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Suburban Studios

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    5%
    Royalty percentage of gross rooms revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24

    Suburban Studios

    6%
    Royalty Fee: 6.0% of preceding month’s Gross Room Revenues
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Suburban Studios

    1.5%
    Revenue reporting late fee: 1.5% of preceding month's Royalty and Marketing fees — 1.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 47

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    18
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 77

    Suburban Studios

    114
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    −3
    Calculated: 21 at end of 2023 → 18 at end of 2025

    Suburban Studios

    +10
    Calculated: 104 at end of 2023 → 114 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Suburban Studios

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Suburban Studios

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Suburban Studios

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    SHSonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — SHR Company - Owned Hotels one full years
    $176
    other SHR Company - Owned Hotels one full years ADR
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — SHR Company - Owned Hotels three full years
    $172
    other SHR Company - Owned Hotels three full years ADR
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — SHR Franchised Hotels three full years
    69.2 index
    other SHR Franchised Hotels three full years
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 74
    +5 more groups in the full report
    SSSuburban Studios
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised SUBURBAN hotels in the 2025 Performance Sample
    45 hotels
    other Table 1 Performance Sample
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 91
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised SUBURBAN hotels in the 2025 Performance Sample with an LTR score abo…
    61.5 percent
    other Table 2 Performance Sample with LTR Above Brand Average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised SUBURBAN hotels in the Performance Sample with a Likelihood to Recom…
    87.1 percent
    other Performance Sample with LTR Above Brand Average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 92
    +3 more groups in the full report

    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.

    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta vs Suburban Studios: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta or Suburban Studios?
    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta: $1,507,607 – $155,360,099 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Suburban Studios: $348,700 – $13,997,250 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Suburban Studios. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta and Suburban Studios royalties compare?
    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24); Suburban Studios: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta or Suburban Studios?
    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta: 18 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 77); Suburban Studios: 114 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 94). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta and Suburban Studios disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Suburban Studios has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    SH

    Full Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Royal Sonesta report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    SS

    Full Suburban Studios report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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