Red Lion Hotels Corporation

RLH Corporation

Company type	Public
Industry	Hospitality
Founded	1937
Headquarters	Denver, Colorado , United States
Area served	North America
Products	Hotel franchising, management, and ownership

RLH Corporation, formerly known as Red Lion Hotels Corporation, is a U.S.-based hospitality enterprise that focuses on franchising, managing, and owning hotels across luxury, mid-tier, and budget categories. Its headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado. As of May 2018, RLH oversees more than 1,400 locations in North America, encompassing upwards of 90,000 guest rooms.

1930s–1970s: Foundation as a property management company

The roots of Red Lion trace back to 1937 in Spokane, Washington, where it began as a property management segment within Washington Trust Bank, under the leadership of Frank M. Goodale. Louis Barbieri, a business graduate from Gonzaga University in neighboring Idaho, was hired by Goodale. In 1944, Goodale purchased the property management arm from the bank and retained Barbieri’s services. By the mid-1950s, Barbieri had become a partner, leading to the firm being named Goodale & Barbieri Companies. Although Barbieri acquired Goodale’s stake in 1959, the company name remained unchanged. Initially concentrating on commercial real estate and development projects, by 1972 the firm had diversified into residential housing.

1970s–1990s: Expansion into hospitality and entertainment

In 1976, Goodale & Barbieri initiated its foray into hospitality with the opening of its inaugural hotel near what is now Riverfront Park. The TraveLodge River Inn (distinct from Travelodge) was developed through a limited liability partnership with the Burlington Northern Railroad on a four-acre site that had previously served as coal storage. This project benefited from Spokane’s riverfront revitalization efforts linked to Expo '74.

By 1980, the company had launched the Cavanaughs brand to represent its hotel operations. In 1987, it diversified further by entering the computerized event ticketing market via G&B Select A Seat, which later evolved into TicketsWest. The firm also briefly ventured into food production by acquiring Broadview Dairy in 1991; this business was operated until its closure in 1997.

Adoption of Cavanaughs Hospitality Corporation name

Prior to going public, Goodale & Barbieri rebranded as Cavanaughs Hospitality Corporation in 1997. The company completed its initial public offering in April 1998 with shares listed under the ticker symbol CVH.

Acquisition of WestCoast Hotels and rebranding

In late 1999, Cavanaughs announced plans to acquire Seattle-based WestCoast Hotels, Inc., with the transaction closing on January 7, 2000. Following the merger, the combined company began trading as WEH on March 1, 2000, adopting the name WestCoast Hospitality Corporation to signify its broader regional footprint. The organization also embarked on rebranding acquired properties under the WestCoast banner while pursuing growth through franchising.

Purchase of Red Lion Hotels

In 2001, WestCoast Hospitality expanded its portfolio by acquiring the Red Lion Hotels brand along with several DoubleTree locations from Hilton Hotels for $51 million. This move extended its reach across nearly all Western states except New Mexico and increased its holdings to approximately 90 hotels comprising about 15,000 rooms. Within two years following this acquisition, most WestCoast Hotels properties were converted to Red Lion branding to enhance market recognition.

2005–2016: Rebranding, divestments, and acquisitions

In September 2005, WestCoast Hospitality Corporation underwent a rebranding to become Red Lion Hotels Corporation, adopting the stock symbol RLH. The company aimed to expand aggressively, targeting a market presence increase from 50 to 100 locations by 2010 through a combination of company-owned properties, joint ventures, and franchising agreements.

By April 2006, RLHC sold off its real estate management business, G&B Real Estate Services, which was reestablished as Goodale & Barbieri Company. This entity continued its operations in Spokane under the direction of the Barbieri family.

In 2008, Columbia Pacific Opportunity Fund—an investment firm managing assets for the Baty family, founders of Emeritus Corporation—made an unsolicited bid to acquire Red Lion at $9.50 per share, holding a 12.7% stake in the company. After withdrawing this offer, Red Lion’s board adopted a poison pill defense mechanism to deter hostile takeovers. This move drew criticism from Columbia Pacific, which contended that the company's asset value surpassed its market capitalization. The poison pill was eventually rescinded following an increase in the company’s share price.

Growth in hotel operations persisted into the following decade. In October 2014, RLHC introduced Hotel RL, a brand positioned in the upscale conversion segment. Subsequently, in April 2015, RLHC purchased GuestHouse International, LLC—including its GuestHouse International and Settle Inn & Suites brands—from Boomerang Hotels for up to $10 million. This acquisition more than doubled Red Lion's portfolio from 57 to 130 hotels and added over 5,100 rooms, markedly enhancing its market footprint and operational scale.

2016–present: Vantage acquisition, headquarters relocation, and strategic refocus

In September 2016, RLHC completed the acquisition of Vantage Hospitality Group along with its associated brands: Vantage Hotels, Americas Best Value Inn, Canadas Best Value Inn, Lexington by Vantage, America's Best Inns and Suites, Country Hearth Inns, Jameson Inns, Signature Inn, and 3 Palms Hotels & Resorts.

Following this transaction, RLHC streamlined its brand portfolio in May 2017 to minimize overlap between markets and improve franchisee options. The company discontinued the Vantage brand name and retired five of its nine brands from that group while retaining Signature Inn, Americas Best Value Inn, Canadas Best Value Inn, and Country Hearth Inn & Suites. All five existing Red Lion brands were preserved. The economy segment was reorganized into upper economy, economy, and lower economy tiers with GuestHouse elevated to the upper economy category. The retired Vantage brands were consolidated under RLHC’s Stays Inns Collection.

To better represent its diversified brand lineup beyond just Red Lion Hotels, the company adopted the name RLH Corporation around July 2017 while maintaining its legal designation. The refreshed logo highlighted the "RLH" acronym with a stronger visual presence but kept the original color palette and typography intact.

The acquisition of Vantage transformed RLHC from a primarily regional operator into a national player. This strategic shift prompted relocating corporate headquarters from Spokane to Denver in August 2017 to enhance engagement with franchisees, partners, suppliers, and regional offices. The former Spokane headquarters as well as Vantage’s Coral Springs office remained operational as regional facilities.

On August 17, 2017, RLHC divested its TicketsWest division by selling it to Paciolan. In April 2018, RLHC agreed to purchase the Knights Inn brand from Wyndham Worldwide for $27 million; this transaction was finalized in May 2018. On December 30, 2020, RLHC announced it would be acquired by Sonesta International Hotels Corporation in a deal valued at approximately $90 million. The acquisition was completed on March 17, 2021.

Hotels

Red Lion Hotels Corporation manages a portfolio of six distinct hotel brands, each catering to specific market tiers:

Brand	Market segment
Hotel RL	Upscale segment
Red Lion Hotels	Upper midscale segment
Red Lion Inn & Suites	Midscale select-service segment
Americas Best Value Inn Canadas Best Value Inn	Economy segment
Knights Inn	Lower economy segment

Franchising

Within the Franchise Division, the Red Lion brand is licensed to independent operators. By 2009, approximately 17 franchised properties were functioning under the full-service Red Lion Hotels, the limited-service Red Lion Inn & Suites, or the Leo Hotel Collection, which focuses on boutique, historic, or unique accommodations. The LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino became the inaugural member of the Leo Collection in February 2013.

Loyalty program

The Hello Rewards program by RLHC, enhanced by a Monscierge mobile application, grants guests 10 Hello Bucks for each eligible stay. These rewards can be redeemed for future reservations without any blackout periods.