Rosen Hotels & Resorts in Orlando Rebrands Flagship Property as Rosen Inn International

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. August 13, 2013

August 13, 2013 - Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Florida's largest independent hotel chain with seven Orlando properties totaling more than 6,300 guest rooms and suites, announces the rebranding of its flagship property. The Quality Inn International is now the Rosen Inn International. The hotel was purchased by owner Harris Rosen on June 24, 1974.

"After 39 years of providing what we strive to be outstanding service and quality to our loyal guests, we have decided to change our name and take 100 percent ownership of all aspects of our hotel," said Rosen. "It was a tough decision, not necessarily based on business. I've been living with the name for 39 years. It's difficult to change something after that long. Our guests and business partners seem to have faith in Central Florida and the Rosen name. The people who have been doing business with us are quite comfortable. The Rosen Inn brand was created as we felt it made sense to draw upon the Rosen name in marketing our leisure properties as we have successfully done in promoting our convention properties. We made some name changes a few years ago and it seemed to work well."

The flagship hotel is now the third Rosen Inn and the sixth of the company's seven hotels to now feature the name of the company's founder, President & COO Harris Rosen. The Rosen Inn is the company's mid-price hotel brand that was launched in October 2010 with the renaming of two of the company's hotels. The Rodeway Inn International, at 6327 International Dr., became the Rosen Inn closest to Universal, and the Quality Inn Plaza, at 9000 International Dr., became the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando. The company also owns and operates Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre, Rosen Shingle Creek and the Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista.

The Rosen Inn International name also conveys the 728-room property's convenient location in the hub of Orlando's tourist corridor, 7600 International Drive, on the corner of International Drive and Sand Lake Road.

After 39 years, the hotel has developed a loyal following from guests from all over the world as well as with its business partners such as Gil Sinkway, president of Dial-a-Tours and Senior Escorted Tours. Sinkway has been a vendor partner of the hotel since 1975. "As far as I am concerned, it is the best overall property on International Drive. It's the perfect location for our tour guests who can easily walk to stores and restaurants," Sinkway said. "They are easy to work with, too. I like Harris' philosophy of rates at a decent price and taking good care of people. No matter the name, as long as he is the owner, we will work with the hotel."

Part of the hotel's success is the longevity of its associates. Rosen Hotels & Resorts associate turnover percentage is in the teens, versus the hospitality industry average of 100 to 150 percent. "I have stayed 40 years because it's such a nurturing environment. When you work for Rosen Hotels, you work hard, but I know Mr. Rosen appreciates it," said Mandy Schiano Moriello, the hotel's longest working associate, who has been in the food and beverage department for 40 years, a year before Rosen purchased the property. "We are such a family here. Through the 40 years, I have been able to see families visit every year, and then see their kids bringing their families. I get to see old and new friends."

Rosen acquired the hotel at the worst time in Central Florida hotel history. After the stock market decline and the Arab oil embargo, virtually every hotel in Orlando was facing foreclosures and bankruptcies. "It was during this time that I decided to buy a hotel," Rosen recalls. "I discovered a small 256-room Quality Inn that fronted both Interstate 4 and International Drive and arranged to meet with the owner, Mr. Jim Morgan. Mr. Morgan was so pleased that I had an interest in buying the hotel, that he hugged me and stated that God must have sent me. A week later, Morgan, myself, and a representative from Travelers Insurance Company, the mortgage broker, met to discuss my interest in the hotel. The rep asked how much money I had in the bank, and I responded, '$20,000.' He quickly extended his hand and said, 'Harris, it looks like we have a deal. Congratulations! The down payment will be $20,000, and we will ask you to assume the mortgage of $2.5 million.'"

"Immediately after the closing, I realized that I had just given away all the money I had in the world for a hotel running at a 15 percent occupancy and hemorrhaging cash badly. I remember walking into my new office, putting my head down on the desk and crying, believing that I had just done the dumbest thing in my life," Rosen said. However, Rosen quickly worked to attract tour operators to his hotel - hitchhiking to New York City in order to do so - and began to turn the bleeding property around.

Tony Masmoudi, a 35-year Rosen associate who retired in 2011, was the hotel's general manager from 1997 to 2002. "When you work for someone and believe how dedicated and smart he is, you know you don't have to worry about your future," said Masmoudi, who stopped at the hotel as he was driving on International Drive simply to change his son's diaper, asked about job openings and ended up building a career." When I see a man picking up trash, carrying baggage, slicing the roast in the restaurant, cleaning rooms and pruning the roses, I know he is there to serve. He taught me how important service was. We sold service."

Masmoudi added that Rosen extends the appreciation he has to guests to his associates. "He never forgets the people who worked for him. When I thanked him for 35 years, he said, 'no Tony, I thank you. From the beginning you gave 110 percent and you were there when I needed you.' That was better to me than if he had written a million dollar check."

Today, Rosen Inn International is a fixture in the Central Florida lodging industry and a shining example of quality service at an affordable price. In addition, Rosen Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible health care to all of its associates through its self-run health insurance program and its self-operated health clinic, the Rosen Medical Center: A Place for Healing and Wellness, on the grounds of Rosen Inn International.

About Rosen Inn International
The Rosen Inn International (formerly the Quality Inn International) is Orlando's premium destination hotel for nearly 40 years and features 728 recently renovated deluxe guest rooms outfitted with two double beds in the heart of Orlando's shopping, dining and theme park district. The hotel recently underwent an extensive remodel giving the property a fresh, updated look in its lobby, restaurant and lounge. The 240-seat Fountain View Restaurant, serving buffets and a la carte items, has been modernized with a fresh new design, more flexible seating and a more efficient floor plan for guests' convenience and comfort. The Topsy Turvey Lounge also has been dramatically transformed into a more inviting space for families with children as well as for groups to gather and socialize following a day of meetings. The hotel has also added a new 1,000 square-foot Tamar Meeting Room and a 300-square foot Rinny Board Room. Both rooms are ideal for small corporate meetings, church and school groups, family reunions and other similar events.

A swimming pool, video arcade and gift shop offer downtime from the theme parks, while a late night mini-market/deli offers hot and cold snacks. The hotel continues to offer its incredibly popular Kids Eat FREE Program (children ages 9 and under receive complimentary breakfast and dinner buffets when accompanied by a paying adult). Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in all guest rooms, common areas and meeting space.

To book a stay at Rosen Inn International or for more information, call 855-887-7600 or visit http://www.roseninn7600.com.

About Rosen Hotels & Resorts
Since launching in 1974, Rosen Hotels & Resorts has grown from 256 to 6,336 guest rooms and suites, approximately six percent of the total guest rooms in Central Florida. Today, the Rosen family of hotels includes three convention properties - Rosen Shingle Creek, Rosen Centre and Rosen Plaza - and four leisure properties - Rosen Inn International (formerly Quality Inn International), Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando, Rosen Inn closest to Universal and Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista. All seven Rosen Hotels & Resorts are located in the Orlando tourism corridor and remain committed to providing outstanding value for all guests. For more information, visit www.rosenhotels.com or call 866-33-ROSEN.