A key hire for Sonesta’s franchise model
Steven Blaine took up his post in early November 2026 at Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, as Regional Manager of Franchise Operations & Revenue Development in the United States. The role combines operational support for franchised hotels with revenue development. Both have become central to the group.
In a post on LinkedIn, the executive explained that Sonesta had for some time been at the top of his list of career goals. He also highlighted the part his network of friends and colleagues played in this new step in his career.
Based in Newton, Massachusetts, Sonesta reports around 1,100 properties and 100,000 rooms across 10 countries, under 13 brands. This makes it the eighth-largest hotel company in the United States. The group has just entered into an exclusive affiliation with Boyd Gaming covering 19 casino hotels, which its co-CEO Keith Pierce describes as a further step in its “asset-right”, franchise-focused growth strategy.
Nearly nine years at G6 Hospitality
Steven Blaine joins from G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6, which he joined in January 2017 as Director of Franchise Brand Performance for five western US states. There he supported more than 50 franchisees, representing 80 properties in California, Oregon, Nevada and Washington State. His work focused on guest reviews and the enforcement of brand standards. In 2019, he was named Director of Operations of the Year.
Promoted to Regional Director of Franchise Brand Performance, he went on to lead a team of six directors covering more than 350 franchised Motel 6 and Studio 6 hotels across 18 Northwest states, until August 2025. He also served for several months as interim Vice President of Franchise Operations.
Among other initiatives, he created a programme for owners with five or more hotels (Multi-Unit Owner). The scheme is built on monthly performance reviews and quarterly meetings of hotel general managers. In response to demand from franchisees, it led to the creation of two dedicated director positions.
His region also achieved a 99% participation rate in the automated reservations call centre, making it a regular test market for the group’s new programmes. Steven Blaine reports delivering double-digit increases in occupancy, revenue and RevPAR at franchised hotels during the pandemic. He also kept his teams together during G6 Hospitality’s transfer from Blackstone Real Estate to the OYO group, now PRISM.
At the request of the development teams, he also represented the company at events held by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and the Bhartiya Mandal Foundation.
A career forged in franchised restaurants
Before moving into hotels, Steven Blaine built most of his career in the restaurant industry. He started at Papapavlo’s Bistro & Bar in the Sacramento area, where he managed 150 staff. There he oversaw its growth from a single bistro to three restaurants. He then joined Port of Subs as National Director of Franchise Training, leading the certification of 14 training restaurants across four states.
At Quiznos, from 2006 to 2011, he ran operations for 40 franchised restaurants and eight company-owned restaurants in California and Nevada. Within 18 months, brand inspection scores rose from 73.1% to 95.2%.
He then moved to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, first as Franchise Restaurant Consultant, carrying out more than 250 restaurant audits, and then as Franchise Business Leader. In that role he oversaw 78 restaurants owned by 20 franchisees, with average sales of around €1.2 million per restaurant and an operating margin of 25.3%. He is one of only two Franchise Business Leaders in the brand’s history to have sat on the board of the Popeyes International Franchise Association. He holds a degree in business administration from the University of the Pacific.
A franchise specialist for a network in transition
Analysis – This appointment shows how much weight franchise operations now carry at Sonesta, whose portfolio is changing rapidly. Service Properties Trust, the group’s owner, is selling a growing number of hotels that then continue to operate under Sonesta brands as franchises, as with the 31 Sonesta Simply Suites sold to Noble Investment Group. The group has also reported 26% growth in its net number of franchised units in 2025.
Under this model, franchisee performance determines the brand’s ability to retain its network and win over new owners. Steven Blaine’s experience in the economy segment, working with multi-unit owners, aligns with the positioning of Sonesta’s midscale and economy brands, such as Americas Best Value Inn, Red Lion and Sonesta Essential.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Steven Blaine joins Sonesta International Hotels
Role: Regional Manager of Franchise Operations & Revenue Development, United States (November 2026)
Previously nearly nine years at G6 Hospitality (Motel 6, Studio 6), most recently as Regional Director of Franchise Brand Performance
Oversaw 350+ franchised properties across 18 Northwest states; served as interim VP of Franchise Operations
Earlier franchise leadership roles at Popeyes, Quiznos and Port of Subs
Sonesta: ~1,100 hotels, 100,000 rooms, 13 brands; 8th-largest U.S. hotel company
