Early check-in, late check-out, two new restaurant concepts and five room designs further define Radisson's expansion.

Carlson President and CEO Hubert Joly kicked off Carlson's global business conference yesterday with a five-year strategy to grow the global portfolio by 50 percent or more in five years. As part of the Radisson expansion in North America, the company is unveiling new room designs and restaurant concepts.

Last week, La Quinta offered some members of the media a peek behind the curtain, so to speak--an opportunity to observe one of the company's brand council meetings. The council, which meets at least three times per year, includes corporate executives and franchisees.

Hotel Indigo makes strides toward clarifying what the brand represents; H&MM tours new Staybridge Suites room prototypes created by art and design students; and Holiday Inn's Keycard Hotel was on display. BY SENIOR EDITOR JASON Q. FREED

Carrier, SVP of the B. F. Saul Company hotel division, was announced as chairman of the ownership group at IHG's 2009 Americas owners conference.

IHG asks owners for commitment to quality at its 2009 Americas Investors & Leadership conference.

The three-day conference included presentations by Accor North America executives as well as interactive panels, roundtable sessions, social events and a trade show attended by more than 50 vendors representing 35 companies.

While the headline news from last week's Best Western International Convention was the company's plan to describe its brand tiers more clearly, executives outlined additional areas of focus, including boosting its loyalty program membership and responding to customer feedback by improving breakfast offerings. BY EDITOR IN CHIEF STEPHANIE RICCA

Best Western plans to boost its brand clarity in the coming year by identifying key descriptors that explain the brand at each of its tiers in the midscale segment. BY EDITOR IN CHIEF STEPHANIE RICCA

Motel 6 debuted the first new-build Phoenix property and brand leaders used the celebration to talk about the recent Accor reorganization, the new room design, a new sales focus and how consistency will be the message at its upcoming franchisee conference.