Best Western to Launch Spiffy New Boutique Hotel Brand

With a network of more than 4,100 hotels, Best Western is among the largest of the major hotel chains. But due to a combination of general corporate passivity and a conservative and underutilized loyalty program, the company gets less attention than other comparably scaled hotel groups.

This week’s unveiling of GLo, a new, hip brand, should help the company garner a bigger share of the spotlight. According to Best Western, “Glo smashes the suburban cookie-cutter hotel mold with an iconic design and contemporary and energetic boutique brand, created for secondary, suburban and highway locations.”

Plans call for more than 50 GLo properties to be up and running in three to five years, with construction set to begin in mid-2016. Each will have 70 rooms, in four stories, with room rates averaging around $90 per night.

Clearly designed with a younger, more price-sensitive market segment in mind, these are not your old-school Best Westerns:

As the name implies, the brand glows in many ways. GLo’s architecture and design have elements that speak to the name with the use of signature LED elements. LED lighting is articulated on the side of the building and in the glowing blue scarf, providing an unmistakable beacon at night, while the ‘Lite Brite’ wall greets guest outside and extends inside behind the glowing welcome desk. During the day, the alternating blue and gold window panes bring the building to life.

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Form and function are carried throughout the design in the thoughtful approach to signature furniture elements and durable but stylish finishes in the guest rooms and lobby. Furniture pieces maximize space and are multi-functional. Finishes add to the warmth of GLo’s chic and contemporary design and create an ambience that is both energetic and comfortable for guests to relax and hang out.

The new brand is being announced in conjunction with a new Best Western corporate logo and a name change, from Best Western International to Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

With the addition of GLo, the Best Western portfolio will feature seven more or less distinct brands: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, BW Premier Collection, Executive Residency, GLo, and Vib.

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This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.