The lobby is as good a place to start as any. It's a guest's first look inside a hotel, and in this case, in Plainfield, Indiana on an early fall day, it's a snapshot of Cambria Suites, the brand. You wouldn't guess it's the latest offering from Choice Hotels International, not with the modern look and upscale feel, neither a hallmark of the U.S. lodging giant best known for franchising economy and midscale brands.

But this day, at the Cambria Suites Indianapolis Airport, it's clear why the new brand has been so well received by consumers and developers. The edgy and inviting design is both cool and comfortable. The luxury feel belies a much higher price tag than it comes with. You see longtime Hilton exec William Edmundson, now Cambria Suites president, sitting comfortably in the lounge. He's in town to meet with a potential developer and help Victoria Radke, his new regional vice president, interview a handful of candidates for her new field sales support team. There's also Doug Meyers, a senior recruiter for Choice, who's here to help with the hiring. Cathy Poinsett, senior director of brand management, and Heather Soule, manager of corporate communications for Choice, chat at a different table. They're meeting with Peter Yesawich in the evening to discuss marketing research.

What you're seeing is the essence of the brand: A dedicated team devoted to building Cambria Suites with the resources and backing of Choice.

THE HOTEL

Cambria Suites is Choice's answer to Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn, and today's newer lifestyle brands like aloft, NYLO and Hyatt Place.

“We had guys who'd build 20 Comfort Inns and then they'd build a Courtyard and become Marriott developers,” says David Pepper, Choice's senior vice president, franchise development and president, upscale and extended-stay brands. “We were like the great training ground for Marriott and Hilton developers. And we were losing guests when they'd be in a market with a higher average rate, and Choice didn't have a product because the cost of land and construction. So our guests didn't have a choice and would stay at a Hilton Garden Inn or a Courtyard.”

The numbers bore that out. Forty-four percent of Choice Privilege members were staying at Courtyard and HGI hotels. Choice was working on an answer with Diplomat Suites, its original upscale concept, but the plan was shelved after 9-11. The project was revived in 2004 and Don Griner, then Choice's senior director of product development, started work on a new prototype. The goal was to create a superior product at the same price or better than Courtyard and HGI. “We wanted full-service ambiance at a limited-service price,” he says. The target was the next generation of business travelers.

“We call them the striver,” Edmundson says. “Typically, it's the psychographic of Generation X and Y. They want to be in the best, have the best, stay in the best and they don't want to trade down when they're on the road. But we don't alienate anyone with our product. What I like to say is we're not your parents' hotel, but they'd love us too.”

The upscale select-service brand has been 100-percent new construction to date — adaptive reuse projects loom — with suites designed to be 25-percent larger than industry-standard rooms. Cost per key is competitive, around $90,000-$115,000 plus land, depending on region and construction method. Griner, who became the brand's senior director of design and construction in 2006, says the trick was spending in the right places.

“What we liked is the brand offered a fresh face on the hotel concept,” says developer Sean Leatherman, vice president of American Hospitality Group, owner of the Cambria Suites Akron Airport and the upcoming location in Columbus, OH. “The product offers tremendous value compared to the others. It's the same price, but better than the competition. At the end of the day, the guest is going to feel like it's a better value.”

The lobby, Griner's favorite feature, is a signature of the brand. The large open space connects the entrance, business center and bar and dining area. A two-story stone wall is the visual centerpiece, with comfortable and functional furniture throughout the shared space. Guests can grab a snack or beverage from the bar and sit down at the business center — two computers on a large table in the middle of the lobby — or kick back on a couch. The bistro dining area, called Reflect, serves breakfast and dinner and features a barista bar offering Wolfgang Puck coffee. Convenience is the cornerstone of Reflect, with the barista bar opening at 5 a.m. and cooked to order breakfast available from 6-10 a.m. The full-service bar and kitchen are open from 5-11 p.m., with grab-and-go lunch options and snacks available around the clock with a cross-trained front-desk staff.