Hotel franchise fees › Element
Element Franchise Fees 2026: Royalty, Marketing and Initial Fee
Element is an extended stay brand from Marriott. Here is what it charges to join and to stay in the system, where the numbers come from, and how they compare with similar brands.
Element fees at a glance
| Initial fee | New-to-system: $75,000 plus $500 per guestroom in excess of 150 guestrooms; existing/conversion: greater of $150,000 or $500 per guestroom |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.5% |
| Marketing or program fee | 1% |
| Royalty plus marketing | Not shown as a single figure (see note) |
| Franchisor | Marriott |
| Segment | Extended stay |
| Disclosure year | 2026 |
Note: Marketing = marketing-fund portion of a Program Services Contribution of 2.75% of GRS plus US$10,000/yr plus US$220/room/yr.
Source: Initial fee: FDD; rates: trade press. Source 1 · Source 2
How Element compares
We don’t show a single headline percentage for Element, because its fees aren’t two simple percentages of rooms revenue; see the note above. Compare the royalty and marketing lines directly with the extended stay brands below.
| Extended stay brand | Franchisor | Royalty | Marketing | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stayAPT Suites | stayAPT Suites | Greater of $2,500 per month or 5% | 2% (marketing fee; can rise to 3%) | 7% |
| Apartment Collection by Hilton | Hilton | 5% | 2.5% | 7.5% |
| Candlewood Suites | IHG | 5.5% of gross suites revenue | 2.5% (Services Contribution) | 8% |
| Staybridge Suites | IHG | 5.5% of gross suites revenue | 2.5% (Services Contribution) | 8% |
| Atwell Suites | IHG | 5% of gross suites revenue | 3% (Services Contribution) | 8% |
| Hyatt Studios | Hyatt | 5% | 3% (Commercial Services Fee) | 8% |
| Hawthorn Extended Stay by Wyndham | Wyndham | 5.5% | 2.5% (marketing and reservation contribution) | 8% |
| LivSmart Studios by Hilton | Hilton | 6% | 2.5% | 8.5% |
| Hyatt House | Hyatt | 5% | 3.5% (Commercial Services Fee) | 8.5% |
| MainStay Suites | Choice Hotels | 6% | 2.5% (Marketing and Reservation Fee) | 8.5% |
What the headline number leaves out
Royalty and marketing are only the start. Most brands also charge for reservations and distribution, loyalty-program assessments on member stays, required technology and property-management systems, training and quality assurance. Brands also negotiate: ramp-up royalty discounts, key money and conversion incentives are common. Ask Marriott for its estimate of total fees as a share of rooms revenue, and read Items 5 and 6 of the current FDD before you sign. Our analysis of what owners really pay a brand puts the typical all-in bill at 10% to 13% of rooms revenue.
Other Marriott brands
Courtyard · Fairfield by Marriott · Residence Inn · SpringHill Suites · TownePlace Suites · AC Hotels · Aloft · Moxy · Four Points by Sheraton · Sheraton · Marriott Hotels · JW Marriott · Westin · Le Méridien · Renaissance · Autograph Collection · Tribute Portfolio · Delta Hotels · The Luxury Collection · City Express by Marriott · StudioRes · Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy · citizenM · Series by Marriott · Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy
Keep going
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The Hotelier Times is a publisher, not a franchise adviser. Fees change; confirm every figure in the brand’s current Franchise Disclosure Document. Spot an error? Email nathan@hoteliertimes.com.