ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham secured the number one position in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Extended Stay Hotel Brand as of August 13, 2026. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts claimed the top three rankings in this category, with its Hawthorn Extended Stay by Wyndham and WaterWalk Extended Stay by Wyndham brands placing second and third respectively. This achievement establishes Wyndham as the only major hotel company to hold top-ranked extended stay brands across economy, midscale, and upscale segments.
ECHO Suites Brand Growth and Features
Launched in 2024, ECHO Suites has quickly expanded to more than 20 open hotels by August 2026,
with over 300 contracts awarded. Recent openings include locations in Savannah, Georgia; Bozeman, Montana; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. The brand targets guests staying a week or longer with suites featuring in-room kitchens. Designed with efficiency, ECHO Suites offers nearly 79% revenue-generating square footage and a compact footprint, developed in collaboration with major institutional extended stay developers to enhance construction and operational performance.
Hawthorn and WaterWalk Extended Stay Details
Hawthorn Extended Stay by Wyndham operates over 100 hotels globally and maintains a 135% RevPAR Index in comparison to its midscale competitors. This brand delivers spacious apartment-style accommodations with well-equipped kitchens and supports multiple development methods, including new
builds, conversions, and dual-brand projects. Recent openings for Hawthorn include Nashville, Tennessee; Mebane, North Carolina; and Corpus Christi, Texas.
WaterWalk Extended Stay by Wyndham manages 11 hotels across the United States, with properties in Huntsville, Alabama; Phoenix, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida. The brand’s LIVE|STAY model offers fully furnished suites for typical extended stays and unfurnished residences for longer-term living. WaterWalk’s Gen 2.0 prototype with 126 units emphasizes operational efficiency and serves diverse demand segments. The brand achieved a 103.2 Occupancy Index year to date through June 2026, marking a 5.4% growth year over year.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ Operational Scale and Technology Investment
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts operates approximately
8,400 hotels across roughly 100 countries. It has invested over $450 million in technology within the last eight years, deploying AI-powered tools like Wyndham Connect and Wyndham AI Concierge to improve franchisee efficiency and guest experience. Wyndham’s portfolio includes 25 hotel brands, among them ECHO Suites, and its Wyndham Rewards loyalty program counts more than 126 million members.
Industry Context and Recognition Process
The USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards select nominees via a panel of travel experts, with winners decided by public vote. The extended stay hotel segment is recognized as one of the fastest-growing within the hospitality industry. Mike Mueller, President of Extended
Stay Brand Operations at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, emphasized that the portfolio addresses varied extended stay traveler needs, offering brands that fit different markets and investment profiles. He cited the triple brand recognition by USA TODAY readers and ECHO Suites’ top ranking two years after debut as strong validation of Wyndham’s strategy and extended stay offerings.
