The Sleep Inn hotel brand, a limited service hotel brand franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH), was named the top ranked economy brand in the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the second quarter of 2003 - the second time this year. Sleep Inn also won the top ranked economy brand slot for the first quarter of 2003.

This marks the fourth time that Sleep Inn, which features all new construction hotels built to prototype standards, has earned MMHI`s top economy hotel slot since the index began in the third quarter of 2001. The survey also revealed that Sleep Inn ranked 15th in customer satisfaction among all (135) surveyed brands, ranging from economy to upscale and luxury.

MMHI, a quarterly report of customer satisfaction with 135 hotel brands, 25 airlines and 11 car rental companies, is based on 30,000 in-depth consumer interviews and produced by Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of market research services for the hospitality industry.

There are currently 355 Sleep Inn hotels open and under development worldwide. Sleep Inn is an all-new construction hotel brand built to prototype standards with state-of-the-art rooms and amenities. Sleep Inn hotels are designed to be user friendly and to meet consumer demands while minimizing construction and labor costs. Most guest rooms offer Sleep Inn`s signature curvilinear shower, spacious work areas with task lighting, convenient desk height electrical outlets, large desk, remote-controlled color TV, electronic door locks and telephone with data port. Some Sleep Inn hotels feature pools, exercise facilities and meeting/hospitality rooms. All Sleep Inn hotels offer a 100 percent guest satisfaction guarantee and a complimentary continental breakfast.

Choice Hotels International, Inc. is one of the world`s largest lodging franchisors, with more than 5,000 hotels open and under development in 48 countries, marketed under the Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brand names. For more information about Choice Hotels visit www.choicehotels.com.

For more information on Market Metrix, log onto www.marketmetrix.com or call 1-800-239-7515.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

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