OPENING PATH
How do you open a Days Inn & Suites franchise in the United States?
Milestone-only
Timeline mode
No single inquiry-to-opening total is disclosed. The verified path is to obtain and review the current disclosure, submit the Wyndham Franchise Application for a specific property, pass applicant and site review, sign the location-specific Franchise Agreement, then follow either the conversion Property Improvement Plan or the new-construction Milestone Schedule until Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. authorizes the Opening Date.
Legal franchisor: Days Inns Worldwide, Inc.; parent chain ultimately owned by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Disclosure basis: 2026 U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document issued March 31, 2026; no separate amendment date identified in the reviewed document.
Applicable paths: new construction and conversion; transfer has a separate Schedule D. The reviewed FDD includes no Development or Area Development Agreement.
Evidence used: FDD Items 1, 5–12, 15–17 and 20; Franchise Agreement; Guaranty; Franchise Application; MITA; Schedule D. Checked July 19, 2026.
Days Inn & Suites is a designation within the Days Inn Chain Facility system rather than a separate U.S. franchisor. The 2026 FDD describes a Days Inn & Suites Chain Facility as generally interior-corridor and requires at least 10% of guest rooms to be configured as suites meeting the disclosed suite standard. The official Days Inn by Wyndham development page identifies the brand opportunity as franchised and available for new construction and conversion.
14 days
Federal FDD review period
Calendar days before a binding agreement or franchise-sale payment.
FTC Franchise Rule
30–60
Typical application review
Days after a completed application and supporting documents are received.
2026 FDD, Item 11
90 days
Conversion default window
Default pre-opening deadline from Effective Date unless the PIP says otherwise.
Schedule D — Conversion
30 months
New-build outside deadline
Complete construction, certification and authorized opening by this deadline.
Schedule D — New Construction
34 hours
General manager HMP
Approximate mandatory program; initial GM completes within 90 days after opening.
2026 FDD, Item 11
Disclosure timing affects the application fee
The FDD requires a non-refundable $2,500 Application Fee when the Franchise Application is submitted. The federal rule requires disclosure at least 14 calendar days before a prospect signs a binding agreement or makes a payment to the franchisor or an affiliate in connection with the proposed sale. The practical sequence is therefore to obtain the current FDD early and satisfy the waiting period before paying the Application Fee; confirm the exact delivery workflow and any state-specific timing with the franchise seller.
QUALIFICATION
What must an applicant qualify for before Days Inn & Suites approval?
The 2026 FDD does not disclose a universal minimum net worth, liquid-capital amount, credit score, education level or mandatory prior-hotel-ownership threshold. The Franchise Application does require ownership, property, hotel-experience and management information, supporting documents, identification of individuals with at least 10% ultimate beneficial ownership before an agreement, and authorization for financial-condition, character, reputation and background investigations.
Personal operation by the owner is not mandatory. If the owner does not manage the Facility, the franchisee must use an individual manager or management company with significant training and experience managing similar lodging facilities. Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. may require an approved third-party manager if the franchisee lacks significant hotel-management experience or receives a Development Incentive.
Applicant and entity dataIdentify the applicant, entity principal contact, legal entity and ownership structure accurately.
Beneficial ownershipBe ready to verify all ownership and identify every person with 10% or greater ultimate beneficial ownership.
Property detailsProvide the proposed location or nearest landmark, current affiliation and total/rentable room counts.
Hotel experienceDisclose current and past hotel ownership or operating experience for each owner; no numeric experience minimum is disclosed.
Management planIdentify the Site Principal and general manager, or an experienced management company when the owner will not manage directly.
Background authorizationExpect the application to authorize checks involving financial institutions, credit bureaus, regulators, employers and references.
Guaranty readinessEntity owners, general partners or controlling owners may have to guarantee Franchise Agreement obligations; spouse signatures can apply in certain property-law states.
State offer statusVerify that the franchise can currently be offered in the target state; the FDD’s state-effective-date exhibit was not a promise of nationwide availability.
PROCESS ROADMAP
What is the verified sequence from inquiry to opening authorization?
The sequence below separates applicant actions, Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. approvals and third-party dependencies. It is a milestone roadmap, not a promised total duration.
1
Define the property and development path
Action: Identify a specific proposed location and whether the project is a conversion or new construction Days Inn & Suites.
Actor: Applicant.
Timing: Before site and application review.
Next dependency: Property facts, room count, ownership and management information.
2
Receive the FDD and clear the disclosure waiting period
Action: Obtain the current U.S. FDD and review the Franchise Agreement and applicable Schedule D before paying or signing.
Actor: Franchisor delivers; applicant reviews.
Timing: At least 14 calendar days before a binding agreement or covered payment under the federal rule.
Blocker: State-specific franchise laws or updated disclosure obligations.
3
Submit the Franchise Application and supporting documents
Action: Complete the application, pay the non-refundable Application Fee at submission, provide requested documentation and authorize background review.
Actor: Applicant.
Timing: Review is typically 30–60 days once the completed package and supporting documents are received.
Blocker: Incomplete ownership, property, financing, experience or background information.
4
Obtain applicant and site approval; negotiate territory separately
Action: Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. awards or declines the franchise and approves the proposed site with the application; a feasibility study may be required.
Actor: Franchisor approval; applicant supplies evidence.
Timing: No fixed approval deadline; 30–60 days is disclosed as typical for a complete package.
Next dependency: Any Protected Territory must be negotiated before signing and written into Section 2.
5
Execute the governing agreements
Action: Sign the location-specific Franchise Agreement and required related documents; pay the Initial Fee at signing, less the approved Application Fee credit.
Actor: Franchisee, guarantors and franchisor.
Timing: After applicable disclosure waiting periods.
Next dependency: Conversion PIP or new-construction Milestone Schedule becomes the controlling pre-opening work plan.
6
Meet the format-specific real-estate and improvement milestones
Action: Conversion projects prove property control, begin renovation and complete PIP pre-opening work; new builds meet site-control, plan, permitting, contractor and construction milestones.
Actor: Franchisee, landlord, architect, contractor and government authorities.
Timing: Conversion default 90 days; new construction runs to a 30-month outside deadline.
Blocker: Financing, permits, approvals, construction, plan revisions and inspections.
7
Install required systems and complete operational setup
Action: Procure a compliant PMS, execute the MITA and PMS Schedule, arrange Wyndham Gateway, required signage/photos, Approved Supplier items and System Standards-compliant FF&E.
Actor: Franchisee with franchisor and approved third-party suppliers.
Timing: PMS setup/implementation payment is due at least 30 days before the Opening Date; insurance starts no later than construction or renovation.
Blocker: Technology readiness, supplier lead times, insurance evidence and local permits/licenses.
8
Staff the hotel and schedule mandatory training
Action: Put an experienced general manager or management company in place and schedule applicable hotel-team and GM training.
Actor: Franchisee and designated trainees; Wyndham training team.
Timing: Opening Training may occur from two weeks before to 60 days after opening; HMP is due within 90 days after opening.
Next dependency: Training is distinct from the franchisor’s final opening authorization.
9
Pass readiness checks and obtain the authorized Opening Date
Action: Finish all pre-opening PIP work for a conversion; for new construction, pass completion inspection and deliver the required ADA Certification.
Actor: Franchisee and professionals complete deliverables; franchisor inspects and authorizes.
Timing: By the applicable Schedule D deadline.
Blocker: Failed inspection, incomplete Certification, unfinished improvements or premature use of the Marks can delay opening.
Site approval is not territory protection
Site approval occurs with Franchise Application approval. A Protected Territory is a separate negotiated contractual right that must be requested before signing and described in Section 2 of the Franchise Agreement. The FDD says there is no exclusive territory and no minimum Protected Territory; the protected area can be limited to the Facility location.
FORMAT DEADLINES
How do conversion and new-construction opening deadlines differ?
Conversion and new construction use materially different Schedule D obligations. A transfer of an existing Days Inn Chain Facility is also governed by its own Transfer Schedule D and should not be treated as a conversion automatically.
| Dependency |
Conversion |
New construction |
What to verify |
| Property control |
Proof of ownership or lease by earlier of 30 days after Effective Date or Opening Date. |
Proof of ownership or ground lease by earlier of 90 days after Effective Date or Opening Date. |
Exact signed ownership/lease documents accepted by franchisor. |
| Plans and work start |
Begin renovation within 30 days; plans may require approval before demolition/improvement. |
Preliminary Plans by 180 days; permit submission and general-contractor agreement by 9 months. |
Applicable PIP, Approved Plans and each submission date. |
| Construction milestone |
Complete all PIP work marked “prior to opening.” |
Commence construction by 18 months, subject to milestone-acceleration rule. |
Whether missed early milestones reduce commencement deadline to 12 months. |
| Outside opening milestone |
Default pre-opening phase is 90 days from Effective Date unless the PIP specifies another deadline. |
Complete construction, deliver Certification and open with authorization by 30 months. |
Any written discretionary extension and related extension fee. |
Source: Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 63–74; Exhibit C-1 Franchise Agreement, Schedule D for Conversion Facilities and Schedule D for New Construction Facilities.
Contractual deadline
For new construction, missing Milestone 1, 2 or 3 can reduce the construction-commencement deadline from 18 months to 12 months after the Effective Date. Extensions are discretionary, not automatic rights, and the franchisor may assess the disclosed non-refundable extension fee when it grants an extension.
TRAINING
What training must be completed around the Opening Date?
Item 11 describes on-site Opening Training for new construction and conversion Facilities in a window from two weeks before to 60 days after the Opening Date; the Conversion Schedule D ties on-site staff training to an architectural PIP, so conversion buyers should verify the signed PIP and Schedule D. The initial general manager must separately complete the approximately 34-hour Hospitality Management Program no later than 90 days after opening.
On-site Opening Training duration when required
New construction, and conversion where the signed Schedule D/PIP requires it; “up to” applies to the two larger room-count bands.
More than 200 rooms
Up to 5
Interpretation: Training duration scales with room count, but the disclosed training window can extend beyond the Opening Date; completing HMP is therefore not the same event as receiving permission to open.
Source: Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. 2026 FDD, Item 11, pp. 71–74; Franchise Agreement Section 4.1.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Who controls the critical pre-opening dependencies?
The franchisor controls brand approval and Opening Date authorization, while the franchisee remains responsible for the property, financing, project execution, employees and governmental compliance. Third parties can still control critical dates even when Days Inns Worldwide, Inc. provides review or assistance.
Opening responsibility matrix
Responsibility does not imply that another party guarantees completion or timing.
Applicant / Franchisee
Franchise Application, ownership disclosures and supporting documents
Site control, financing, renovation or construction execution
Permits, licenses, insurance, staffing and employment decisions
PMS, approved-source purchases and pre-opening deliverables
Days Inns Worldwide, Inc.
Application and site review; award or decline decision
Protected Territory language in the Franchise Agreement
PIP, Prototype Plans access, plan review and System Standards review
Inspections and authorization of the Opening Date
Third parties
Landlord or seller: property possession and transaction closing
Lender: independent financing approval and funding
Architect/contractor: plans, construction and required Certification
Government/suppliers: permits, inspections, utilities and delivery lead times
Source: 2026 FDD Items 8, 10 and 11; Franchise Agreement Sections 3.1, 3.5 and 3.8; Schedule D.
OPENING READINESS
What must be verified before relying on an expected opening date?
Before treating any target date as achievable, reconcile the signed Franchise Agreement and Schedule D with the property’s actual third-party dependencies. The FDD does not promise financing, permit issuance, construction timing or a specific approval date.
Signed Schedule DConfirm the exact conversion PIP deadlines or new-construction Milestone Schedule inserted into the executed agreement.
Protected Territory textRead the exact Section 2 description and exceptions; do not infer protection from site approval alone.
Plan-review calendarAllow the disclosed 10 days for each franchisor plan submission review and track any 30-day variance-response period.
Insurance start dateHaverequired coverage active when construction or renovation begins and maintain evidence required by System Standards.
PMS and technologyChoose the approved PMS, sign the MITA/PMS Schedule and satisfy the setup-payment deadline at least 30 days before opening.
Government approvalsConfirm zoning, building, accessibility, fire, health, food-service and other approvals that actually apply in the local jurisdiction.
Final inspection / CertificationFor new construction, complete the required ADA Certification and pass readiness inspection before authorization; for conversion, close all PIP items marked prior to opening.
Franchisee referencesUse Item 20 and Exhibits E-1/E-2 to ask current and former franchisees how application review, PIP work, plan approval, supplier lead times and opening authorization worked in practice.
DOCUMENTS AND SOURCES
Which official sources should a prospective buyer use to verify the process?
The current FDD and signed agreements control contractual obligations. Public Wyndham pages are useful for current brand positioning and development context, while FTC sources explain the federal disclosure rule. No franchise-controlled public copy of the 2026 FDD was verified, so the FDD is cited here by date, Item and agreement section rather than linked.
Verified opening path: obtain the current disclosure before a covered payment, complete the property-specific Franchise Application and applicant/site review, negotiate any Protected Territory, sign the Franchise Agreement, then execute the conversion PIP or new-construction Milestone Schedule through final readiness and franchisor authorization. The total inquiry-to-opening duration is undisclosed; the article therefore uses a milestone-only roadmap. The biggest applicant-controlled dependency is timely site control and completion of the required property work. The biggest franchisor/third-party dependency is coordinated plan, permit, inspection, supplier and authorization timing. The key deadline to verify is the exact signed Schedule D—especially the conversion PIP opening date or the new-construction 30-month outside deadline and milestone-acceleration rule.
