Hotel chains shape how millions of Americans travel, whether for business trips, family vacations, or quick overnight stays. A small group of major companies owns or franchises most hotel rooms across the United States today.

Some of these chains started with just one small motel nearly a century ago. Others grew rapidly through mergers, acquisitions, and franchising deals over the past few decades.

In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 leading hotel chains in the United States, based on their history, ownership, and the kind of hotels they are known for.

Quick Comparison

Rank	Chain	Founded	Owner / Founders	US Headquarters	Core Focus
1	Marriott International	1927	Founded by J. Willard & Alice Marriott; publicly listed, led by CEO Anthony Capuano	Bethesda, Maryland	Full-Service & Luxury Hotels
2	Hilton Worldwide	1919	Founded by Conrad Hilton; publicly listed, led by CEO Christopher Nassetta	Tysons, Virginia	Full-Service & Luxury Hotels
3	Hyatt Hotels Corporation	1957	Founded by Jay Pritzker; publicly listed, led by CEO Mark Hoplamazian	Chicago, Illinois	Upscale & Luxury Hotels
4	Wyndham Hotels & Resorts	1981	Founded by Trammell Crow; publicly listed, led by CEO Geoff Ballotti	Parsippany, New Jersey	Economy & Midscale Hotels
5	Choice Hotels International	1939	Founded by Stewart W. Bainum Sr.; publicly listed	North Bethesda, Maryland	Midscale & Extended Stay Hotels
6	Best Western Hotels & Resorts	1946	Founded by M. K. Guertin; nonprofit, member-owned, led by CEO Larry Cuculic	Phoenix, Arizona	Midscale Independent Hotels
7	Extended Stay America	1995	Founded by Wayne Huizenga & George D. Johnson Jr.; owned by Blackstone & Starwood Capital, led by CEO Greg Juceam	Charlotte, North Carolina	Extended Stay & Long-Term Hotels
8	Motel 6 (G6 Hospitality)	1962	Founded by William Becker & Paul Greene; owned by OYO (Oravel Stays), led by CEO Sonal Sinha	Plano, Texas	Budget Motels
9	InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)	1952 (Holiday Inn)	Roots to Kemmons Wilson; publicly listed, led by CEO Elie Maalouf	Atlanta, Georgia (US)	Midscale to Luxury Hotels
10	Omni Hotels & Resorts	1958	Founded under the Dunfey family; privately held, owned by the Rosenwald family	Dallas, Texas	Upscale Independent Hotels

1. Marriott International – America’s Largest Hotel Company

• Founded: 1927 
• Owner: Founded by J. Willard & Alice Marriott; publicly listed, led by CEO Anthony Capuano 
• Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland

Marriott’s story began in 1927 when J. Willard Marriott and his wife Alice opened a small nine-seat root beer stand in Washington, D.C. That tiny food business grew into a restaurant chain before finally entering the hotel industry decades later. Marriott opened its first hotel, the Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel, in Arlington, Virginia, in 1957.

The company grew massively through acquisitions, adding well-known names like The Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, and Westin to its portfolio. Marriott became the world’s largest hotel company after buying rival Starwood Hotels in 2016. Anthony Capuano now leads the company as CEO, while the Marriott family still holds around 7 percent of company shares.

What Marriott International does: Manages and franchises hotels ranging from budget to luxury.

Services: Hotel bookings, luxury and full-service hotels, vacation properties, and the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

2. Hilton Worldwide – A Century-Old Name in American Hospitality

• Founded: 1919 
• Owner: Founded by Conrad Hilton; publicly listed, led by CEO Christopher Nassetta 
• Headquarters: Tysons, Virginia

Hilton Worldwide Conrad Hilton bought his very first hotel, The Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas, in 1919 using borrowed money during a local oil boom. He later purchased the Dallas Hilton in 1925, the first hotel to actually carry his name. Hilton expanded internationally after World War II, believing hotels could represent American values abroad during the Cold War.

The Blackstone Group bought Hilton in 2007 for $26 billion, at the time the largest hotel buyout in history. Blackstone brought in Christopher Nassetta as CEO, who took the company public again in 2013 and still leads it today. Hilton now operates more than 9,000 properties across 25 different hotel brands worldwide.

What Hilton Worldwide does: Manages and franchises hotels, resorts, and timeshare properties globally.

Services: Hotel bookings, luxury and budget hotel brands, timeshares, and the Hilton Honors loyalty program.

3. Hyatt Hotels Corporation – A Family Business Built From One Airport Motel

• Founded: 1957 
• Owner: Founded by Jay Pritzker; publicly listed, led by CEO Mark Hoplamazian 
• Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois

Hyatt began in 1957 when businessman Jay Pritzker purchased a single motel called the Hyatt House, located near Los Angeles International Airport. His brother Donald later joined him, helping grow the small motel into a larger hotel business. The Hyatt Regency brand launched in Atlanta in 1967, followed two years later by the first international Hyatt in Hong Kong.

The Pritzker family expanded Hyatt through both new hotel construction and major acquisitions over the decades. Mark Hoplamazian now leads the company as chairman and CEO, while Jay Pritzker’s son Thomas remains active as executive chairman. Hyatt now operates more than 1,300 hotels across 69 countries worldwide.

What Hyatt Hotels Corporation does: Manages and franchises upscale and luxury hotels and resorts.

Services: Hotel bookings, luxury and business hotels, all-inclusive resorts, and the World of Hyatt loyalty program.

4. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – The World’s Largest Hotel Franchisor

• Founded: 1981 
• Owner: Founded by Trammell Crow; publicly listed, led by CEO Geoff Ballotti 
• Headquarters: Parsippany, New Jersey

Wyndham traces its roots to 1981 in Dallas, Texas, founded by real estate developer Trammell Crow. The company grew over the decades by buying up well-known economy hotel brands like Days Inn, Super 8, and Howard Johnson. Wyndham became its own separate public company in 2018, splitting off from the larger Wyndham Worldwide.

In 2018, Wyndham made its biggest deal yet, acquiring the La Quinta brand and its roughly 900 hotels. Geoff Ballotti has led the company as CEO since the spin-off, growing it into the largest hotel franchisor in the world by property count. Wyndham now operates more than 9,000 hotels across 25 brands in 95 countries.

What Wyndham Hotels & Resorts does: Franchises economy and midscale hotels across the country.

Services: Hotel bookings, budget and midscale hotel brands, extended-stay hotels, and the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.

5. Choice Hotels International – A Franchise Giant Built on Comfort Inn

• Founded: 1939 
• Owner: Founded by Stewart W. Bainum Sr.; publicly listed 
• Headquarters: North Bethesda, Maryland

Choice Hotels traces its roots back to 1939, though the company built much of its modern identity around the Comfort Inn brand launched decades later. Stewart W. Bainum Sr. grew the business steadily, focusing heavily on midscale and budget-friendly hotel brands. The company later expanded its brand lineup to include Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, and Cambria Hotels.

In 2022, Choice Hotels completed its biggest acquisition yet, buying the Radisson Hotels Americas brands in a major deal. Patrick Pacious led the company as CEO for nearly nine years before stepping down in 2026, with Dominic Dragisich now serving as interim CEO. Choice Hotels operates nearly 7,600 hotels across 46 countries and territories.

What Choice Hotels International does: Franchises midscale and extended-stay hotels across the country.

Services: Hotel bookings, midscale hotel brands, extended-stay hotels, and the Choice Privileges loyalty program.

6. Best Western Hotels & Resorts – A Nonprofit Owned by Its Own Hotel Owners

• Founded: 1946 
• Owner: Founded by M. K. Guertin; nonprofit, member-owned, led by CEO Larry Cuculic 
• Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona

Best Western started in 1946, shortly after World War II, when founder M. K. Guertin built a referral system connecting independent motels across the American West. Rather than owning the hotels directly, Best Western allowed individual motel owners to join together under one shared brand name. This unusual structure helped small, independently owned motels compete with larger hotel chains.

The company expanded into Canada in 1964, then into Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand by 1976. Best Western operates as a nonprofit organization, technically owned by its own network of hotel franchisee members rather than outside shareholders. Larry Cuculic currently leads the company as president and CEO.

What Best Western Hotels & Resorts does: Provides a shared brand and booking system for independently owned hotels.

Services: Hotel bookings, midscale hotel brands, and the Best Western Rewards loyalty program.

7. Extended Stay America – A Blockbuster Founder’s Bet on Long-Term Hotels

• Founded: 1995 
• Owner: Founded by Wayne Huizenga & George D. Johnson Jr.; owned by Blackstone & Starwood Capital, led by CEO Greg Juceam 
• Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina

Extended Stay America was started in 1995 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by Wayne Huizenga and George D. Johnson Jr., both former executives at Blockbuster and Viacom. The two entrepreneurs saw an opportunity in longer hotel stays, building rooms with small kitchens for guests staying weeks or months at a time. This focus on extended stays set the company apart from typical overnight hotel chains.

The company went through bankruptcy and several rounds of private equity ownership over the following decades. In 2021, Blackstone and Starwood Capital Group bought the entire company in a deal worth roughly $6 billion. Greg Juceam now leads Extended Stay America as CEO, overseeing more than 650 hotels across North America.

What Extended Stay America does: Operates hotels designed for guests staying multiple weeks or months.

Services: Extended-stay hotel rooms, in-room kitchens, and weekly and monthly rate options.

8. Motel 6 (G6 Hospitality) – A Budget Brand Named After Its Original Price

• Founded: 1962 
• Owner: Founded by William Becker & Paul Greene; owned by OYO (Oravel Stays), led by CEO Sonal Sinha 
• Headquarters: Plano, Texas

Motel 6 started in Santa Barbara, California, in 1962, built by two local building contractors, William Becker and Paul Greene. The chain got its unusual name from its original room rate, which cost guests just six dollars a night at the time. That simple, no-frills approach to budget lodging helped Motel 6 grow into a nationwide chain over the following decades.

Ownership of the brand changed hands several times, passing through Accor and later Blackstone before a major shift in 2024. That year, Indian hospitality company OYO completed its purchase of G6 Hospitality, the parent company behind Motel 6 and Studio 6. Sonal Sinha now leads G6 Hospitality as CEO, overseeing roughly 1,500 locations across the US and Canada.

What Motel 6 does: Operates budget motels and extended-stay locations across North America.

Services: Budget motel rooms, extended-stay lodging, and pet-friendly accommodations.

9. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) – The Company Behind Holiday Inn

• Founded: 1952 (Holiday Inn) 
• Owner: Roots to Kemmons Wilson; publicly listed, led by CEO Elie Maalouf 
• Headquarters (US): Atlanta, Georgia

IHG’s American roots trace back to 1952, when businessman Kemmons Wilson opened the very first Holiday Inn in Memphis, Tennessee. Wilson built the brand after a frustrating family road trip made him realize travelers needed reliable, predictable hotel rooms. By 1956, Holiday Inn had already grown into the largest hotel brand in the entire world, with 300,000 rooms.

The Holiday Inn brand eventually became part of a much larger British company, which later took the name InterContinental Hotels Group. IHG now owns a wide range of brands, including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and Kimpton, alongside the original InterContinental brand. Elie Maalouf has led the company as CEO since 2023, overseeing operations across dozens of hotel brands worldwide.

What IHG does: Manages and franchises hotels ranging from budget to luxury under many different brand names.

Services: Hotel bookings, midscale and luxury hotel brands, and the IHG One Rewards loyalty program.

10. Omni Hotels & Resorts – A Family-Owned Alternative to the Big Chains

• Founded: 1958 
• Owner: Founded under the Dunfey family; privately held, owned by the Rosenwald family 
• Headquarters: Dallas, Texas

Omni Hotels traces its roots back to the Dunfey family, who began building a small hotel business in New England in the late 1950s. The company changed ownership and names several times over the following decades before eventually becoming Omni Hotels. Unlike most major chains on this list, Omni remained privately owned rather than going public on the stock market.

The Rosenwald family later took ownership of the company, keeping it as a privately held business focused mainly on upscale, independent-style hotels. Omni operates fewer properties than the giant chains, but focuses heavily on distinctive, locally flavored hotel experiences. The company remains headquartered in Dallas, Texas today.

What Omni Hotels & Resorts does: Operates upscale hotels with a focus on local character and personalized service.

Services: Hotel bookings, upscale hotel stays, resort properties, and the Omni Select Guest loyalty program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which is the largest hotel chain in the USA?

Marriott International is the largest hotel company in the world, operating more than 9,400 properties across dozens of brands.

2. Which chains are privately owned rather than publicly traded?

Extended Stay America, Motel 6, and Omni Hotels & Resorts are all privately owned, rather than publicly traded on the stock market.

3. Which chain is technically owned by its own hotel franchisees?

Best Western operates as a nonprofit organization, owned by the independent hotel owners who franchise the brand.

4. Which chain is best known for budget, low-cost rooms?

Motel 6 is best known for its budget motels, originally named after its six-dollar nightly room rate.

5. Which chain focuses specifically on long-term, extended stays?

Extended Stay America focuses specifically on guests staying multiple weeks or months, offering rooms with small kitchens.

6. Which chain is now owned by an Indian hospitality company?

Motel 6, through its parent company G6 Hospitality, is now owned by India’s OYO, following a 2024 acquisition.

7. Are hotel chains in the USA regulated?

Yes, hotels must follow local safety, fire, and health codes, along with federal accessibility rules under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

8. Which chain claims to be the largest hotel franchisor in the world?

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts describes itself as the largest hotel franchisor in the world, with more than 9,000 properties.

9. Which chain grew out of the original Holiday Inn brand?

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) grew to include the Holiday Inn brand, first opened by Kemmons Wilson in Memphis in 1952.

10. Why do these ten chains matter to everyday people?

These chains operate many of the hotel rooms Americans stay in for business trips, family vacations, and everyday travel.

Conclusion

America’s hotel industry comprises century-old family-owned businesses and conglomerates that emerged as franchising and acquisition drove consolidation in the market. Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Wyndham, Choice Hotels, Best Western, Extended Stay America, Motel 6, and Omni Hotels are all US-based brands that built their business through franchising, and the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) brand originated from the American Holiday Inn.

These ten hotel chains specialize in the most popular lodging options that most Americans choose when traveling or needing temporary accommodation. The companies’ impact will continue to be evident as their presence grows alongside evolving trends in travel behaviors and preferences.