Red Roof Celebrates Adding More than 40 Women or Representatives of Underserved Markets to its Ownership Community Through RIDE and SHE

COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 7, 2026) — Red Roof®, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, announced that it has added more than 40 women or representatives of underserved markets to its ownership community since the introduction of RIDE with Red Roof® and the rebranding of the SHE, inspired by Red Roof® in July 2023. In 2025, RIDE welcomed six new “Riders” to the program – potential owners from underrepresented markets navigating various phases of hotel ownership – and with support from Red Roof, these individuals are learning the fundamentals of hotel ownership, understanding and applying for loans, exploring building and conversion processes, and are on the path to becoming hotel owners. 

Growth of its franchise community through RIDE is one part of Red Roof’s long-term Purpose With Heart commitment to strengthening its business strategy and fostering diversity in the industry. Through these efforts, Red Roof doubled RIDE’s presence at industry events year-over-year, underscoring its commitment to platforms that help increase visibility and momentum for minority ownership. 

Introduced nearly three years ago, RIDE with Red Roof was created to diversify and expand hotel ownership opportunities to women and other underrepresented groups by providing access to the network, educational resources, capital and industry vendor partners. The program continues to grow thanks to the hotel industry’s embrace of women and members of other underserved communities as new owners. RIDE is helping these potential hotel owners achieve their dreams by connecting them with the tools and resources they need to begin filling knowledge gaps, building industry connections and welcoming guests to their own hotels. 

While RIDE aims to activate new owners by providing aspiring franchisees with much-needed resources and support, SHE aims to motivate women across the hospitality industry through resources that foster personal and professional development. 

Partnerships with a Purpose 

To support entrepreneurs on the road to hotel ownership, Red Roof partnered with Bridge, a digital financing platform built to simplify, accelerate and increase access to capital for today’s hotel owners and developers. Through this partnership, Red Roof owners and operators can submit a loan request and tap into Bridge’s network of more than 150 accredited lenders. Bridge is just one of the many partnerships Red Roof franchisees can access. Many of these partnerships are also minority-owned businesses, thanks in part to RIDE’s commitment to diversifying Red Roof’s network of preferred vendors and business partners. 

“Since launching RIDE, Red Roof has bolstered its base of women and minority franchise owners, with no signs of slowing down,” said Lina Patel, director of strategic franchise initiatives. “Our next objective is to help our franchisees become multiunit owners, helping them expand access to new opportunities and establish generational wealth. This is just the beginning of RIDE’s path to growing hotel ownership, and we are excited by the ground we have already covered and the new owners we are yet to meet.” 

“Red Roof has been a fantastic partner that has proven its worth time and again,” said Jaya Desai, multiunit owner and operator of the HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof and Red Roof PLUS+ in Huntsville, Ala. “Red Roof’s reliability and consistency are reasons why I have expanded my ownership goals to include additional hotel investments. Our second property in Huntsville opened in 2025, and Red Roof’s partnership has inspired us to keep growing.” 

Desai continued, “Red Roof's resources, including revenue management services and support from a dedicated operations team member, have been invaluable. The team has been connected with me throughout the opening process and ongoing operations." 

“Red Roof is ensuring hotel ownership is never far from reach,” said Matthew Hostetler, chief development officer at Red Roof. “The secret to our success is no secret: Consistency. Our ability to consistently provide true, genuine relationships and support through programs such as RIDE and SHE is why our hotels continue to deliver real results. That is why our franchise community remains the most dedicated in the industry and continues to grow year after year.” 

For more information about Red Roof franchising opportunities, visit redrooffranchising.com. 

About Red Roof 

Red Roof is an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, recognized for creating the innovative Upscale Economy® segment, serving millions of guests each year. Red Roof's portfolio of brands includes Red Roof Inn® and Red Roof PLUS+®, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, The Red Collection®, and Red Roof’s dual-branded properties. Red Roof has over 60,000 rooms in more than 700 properties in the U.S. and internationally in Japan. For more information, visit redroof.com or download Red Roof's free app for iOS and Android devices. To learn about franchising opportunities, visit redrooffranchising.com. Red 

Roof’s Vision: To provide the best experience and value in the lodging industry for our guests, owners, team members, partners, and communities. 

Media Contact: 

Elliott Mest 

MFC PR 

elliott@mfcpr.com