Hotel Photography and Virtual Tour Refresh Initiative Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hotel Photography and Virtual Tour Refresh Initiative?
To help improve the quality of photography for Choice Hotels branded hotels, Choice Hotels will launch the Hotel Photography and Virtual Tour Refresh project for all hotels in the U.S. and Caribbean in September 2014. The project will provide each property with High Resolution still images, Choice Custom Virtual Tours as well as a full Google “Hotel View” Tour
Do I have to pay for the photos and virtual tours?
No, the photos and virtual tours for this project are being provided to you as part of the CHERP 2.0 added value program. No additional fees are required to receive these assets.
When will my photo session be scheduled?
One of our preferred vendors will be contacting your hotel directly to schedule your session. These sessions are being scheduled regionally to take advantage of the best weather and pricing possible.Photo sessions will start to be scheduled in September2014 and will continue over the next 18-24 months until all hotels are completed. Visit the Hotel Photography and Virtual Tour Refresh landing page {link to landing page} on ChoiceCentral.com for a month-by-month schedule to see when your region will be shot.
What should I do if I need to reschedule the session?
If you need to reschedule your photo shoot, you must contact your assigned vendor directly no later than 72 hours prior to their arrival to avoid a rescheduling fee. If the session is cancelled less than 72 hours prior to arrival, a rescheduling fee may apply. Please or more information.
I cannot honor my scheduled photo shoot date or time. Will I have to pay a rescheduling fee?
Choice encourages hotels to work with the assigned vendor to confirm and keep the scheduled photo session. If the session is canceled less than 72 hours prior to arrival, you may be required to pay a $900 rescheduling fee to have a photographer come back to reshoot your property..
Do I need to be at the property while the photographer is there?
You or an assigned member of your staff must be onsite while the photographer completes your photo shoot. This will ensure the photographer has a resource to assist them should any questions or issues arise while they are at your property.
What preparations do I need to make before the photographer arrives?
We have prepared a tip sheet for all properties to use in preparing for the photographer visit. Please visit ChoiceCentral.com and download the Preparing for Your Hotel Photo Shoot guidelines{link to guidelines}.
What will the photographer photograph while at my hotel?
Our vendors have been provided with a list of key areas of each hotel to shoot while there are onsite. This will vary by brand and property. However, the general list includes: hotel exterior, each unique guest room type (both standard and specialty/suite rooms, guest room bathroom, lobby, breakfast area, marketplace or retail area, restaurant, lounge/bar, meeting/event space, fitness room, business center, pool/spa, courtyard/recreational area and special features (ex. courtesy van or other).
What should I do if not all my room types are currently open?
In most cases, the photographers should be onsite at your property for sufficient time for you to turn over rooms from check-out. However, should a room be out of service or fully booked while a photographer is onsite, the room will be skipped. Choice recommends you review the Photography Guidelines{link to guidelines}and ensure all rooms are in compliance with your brand standards prior to your photo session.
What should I do if I am not currently in compliance with bedding, breakfast, television or other brand standards?
If your hotel is not in compliance with brand standards, Choice recommends that you contact your Area Director (AD) and/or Brand Compliance manager as soon as possible. If your property is not compliant at the time of the photo shoot, Choice reserves the right to cancel and reschedule; rescheduling fees may apply. Be advised that you may be found in default of your Franchise Agreement if you are not in compliance with your brand standards.
Who will be taking the photos and virtual tours for my property?
Choice has selected several preferred vendors for this initiative.One of these approved vendors will be contacting you to schedule your photo shoot.
I have already worked with a vendor that I preferred. Can I have them shoot my property instead of the scheduled vendor?
No, Choice will be assigning vendors to cover regions on a geographic basis.
Am I required to provide a free room to the photographer?
No; however Choice recommends providing the photographer with a free or discounted room when requested and if available.
Will I be able to provide input on the types of photos taken at my hotel?
To ensure consistency, we will provide our photographers with style guidelines and minimum required photos and virtual tours for each hotel. We will provide them an extensive list of areas of the hotel to photograph as well as stylistic requirements to ensure we capture the unique aspects of each hotel and brand standards.
How many pictures will the photographer take?
The amount of pictures will vary based upon the size of the hotel and the features at each property. All major public areas as well as each unique guest room type will be included in the photo shoot.
How much time will the photographer be spending at my property?
The amount of time spent at each hotel will vary based upon the onsite features of each hotel that needs to be photographed. For example, larger hotels may require more time than a small property.
What if my hotel is currently undergoing improvements or renovations when the photographers are scheduled to be in my area?
Our eCommerce and brand management teams will take this into consideration and will work with you to ensure the photo session is scheduled at the appropriate time.
Who will own the images for my property?
Choice will own the images taken by each of our vendors. They will be available to you to use on ChoiceHotels.com, your independent property website and local marketing materials. Please refer to the Internet Distribution Policy, available in the Rules and Regulations on our brand pages, for more information.
When will I see my updated photos online?
Photos will be on ChoiceHotels.com approximately four weeks after the photo shoot was completed. This allows for proper time to edit the imagery, review against our quality standards and allow the Choice team time to load into the applicable systems. Be advised that due to the highly technical nature of the Custom Virtual Tours and Google Hotel View Tours these media items may take longer than four weeks.
What can I do if I am not happy with the photographs that were taken of my property and want it reshot?
Photos and virtual tours will adhere to quality assurance guidelines established by Choice. Our vendors will be required to closely follow the guidelines and their work will undergo a quality check by Choice staff prior to loading into brand channels. If the photos and tours do not meet the guidelines, we will work with the vendor to correct the issues. If you have concerns regarding the final photography and video assets for your property, please .
I have questions not covered here. Who can I contact for more information?
Please contact us via email , by phone at 844.800.5291, or your Area Director (AD) with any additional questions.