Franchise Facts Report → rankings → Travel & hospitality
Cheapest hotel, travel & hospitality franchises to open
The 15 lowest-cost hotel, travel & hospitality franchises by total initial investment (FDD Item 7) — the low-cost end of the category, ranked from the disclosure documents themselves rather than from anyone's marketing. Every figure is read from the brand's most recent FDD — not marketing copy.
| # | Franchise | Total investment | Investment | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WHR Extended Stay, LLC (Arise Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham) | $9,887 | $3,803 – $15,971 | High |
| 2 | Travel Leaders Network | $10,090 | $2,270 – $17,910 | Medium |
| 3 | Cruise Planners · Item 19 ✓ | $11,225 | $1,945 – $20,505 | Medium |
| 4 | CruiseOne · Item 19 ✓ | $11,493 | $2,290 – $20,695 | Low |
| 5 | Park Inn · Item 19 ✓ | $12,712 | $3,987 – $21,436 | High |
| 6 | Atwell Suites | $36,500 | $35,000 – $38,000 | High |
| 7 | Candlewood Suites · Item 19 ✓ | $36,500 | $35,000 – $38,000 | Medium |
| 8 | Staybridge Suites · Item 19 ✓ | $36,500 | $35,000 – $38,000 | Medium |
| 9 | Sheenco Travel ® · Item 19 ✓ | $41,730 | $32,600 – $50,860 | Low |
| 10 | Vacation Planners | $43,500 | $31,500 – $55,500 | Medium |
| 11 | Cruisin' Tikis | $71,400 | $59,400 – $83,400 | Medium |
| 12 | Fireside Rv | $73,325 | $51,950 – $94,700 | Medium |
| 13 | Casiola · Item 19 ✓ | $82,625 | $64,500 – $100,750 | Low |
| 14 | Travelodge, Travelodge Hotel, Travelodge Inn, Travelodge Suites Hotel, Travelodge Inn & Suites, Travelodge by Wyndham · Item 19 ✓ | $93,533 | $73,956 – $113,110 | Medium |
| 15 | Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham · Item 19 ✓ | $105,369 | $92,736 – $118,002 | Medium |
Ranked from FDDs filed with state franchise registries. Figures are as disclosed by each franchisor; “best” reflects the single metric above, not an overall recommendation. Tap any brand for the full cost, earnings, litigation and benchmark breakdown.
This page ranks one number. The report on a single brand gives you the actual Item 19 earnings, every fee line, the litigation detail, outlet churn, and where each figure lands against travel & hospitality peers — plus the questions to put to the franchisor before you sign.