Days Inn - History

History

Days Inn was founded in 1970 on Tybee Island, Georgia by Cecil B. Day, a real estate developer who later achieved note as a prominent Christian philanthropist. The name was thought up by Day's friend Mannin Purvis of Savannah, Georgia who was the head of advertising for the Savannah Morning News. This first Days Inn has been purchased and renamed. Through the 1970s hotel guests could take home a paperback Bible (usually the ABS Good News Bible New Testament) from their guest rooms for free.

During the chain's early years, many Days Inns featured Tasty World Restaurants and Gift Shops, along with on-site gasoline pumps to sell unbranded fuel to motel guests at lower prices than nearby Texaco or Exxon stations. During the first energy crisis of 1973-74 when gasoline rationing was prevalent in many areas of the U.S., Days Inn guests could not only reserve lodging but also a few gallons of gasoline for their vehicles upon checking in.

One of the first successful hotel brands, Days Inns of America Inc. began franchising hotels in 1972 and within eight years created a system of more than 300 hotels in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Stanley S. Tollman and Monty D. Hundley via the Tollman-Hundley Hotel Group became the largest franchisees in the 1980s including buying Days Inn of America. They took it into bankruptcy in 1991. They then sold it to Hospitality Franchise Systems in 1991. Tollman and Hundley would be indicted on federal bank fraud and tax fraud charges that they had not disclosed all assets in the process. Hundley was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay more than $110 million in restitution. Tollman fled to London in 2002 where he fought extradition for many years. In 2008 Tollman agreed to a plea deal that would allow him to return home in exchange for more than $100 million.

There are now more than 1900 Days Inn hotels worldwide, serving millions of guests each year. Competitors include AmericInn Hotels, Sleep Inn, and Red Roof Inn for limited-service properties; Red Carpet Inn/Suites for certain full-service properties. Though its sister brand, Travelodge, also fits into this segment, it is primarily geared more toward active, outdoor, or adventure-oriented families.

Days Inns is a motel chain. The motel brands of Days Inn include:

• Days Inn/Inn & Suites - the most common variety, found around the world. They may be either full or limited-service. Some properties are only rooms; others have rooms mixed with suites.
• Days Hotel - the full-service variant found in high-traffic and large cities.
• Days Suites - an all-suites variant; may be either full or limited-service.
• Daystop, a budget chain common in the 1970s and 1980s; now discontinued.
• Days Lodge, a rare variant found formerly in resort and high-traffic locations; now discontinued.

The brand is now owned by Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and is in the process of a major upgrade.