Knights Inn

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Knights Inn (officially Knights Franchise Systems, Inc.) is an economy/budget chain owned by Wyndham Worldwide and based in Parsippany, New Jersey. Key features include free parking, handicapped-accessible rooms, a continental breakfast, and highway access at most locations. Each Knights Inn originally had one-story units with all-exterior corridors and medieval-inspired architecture, but the chain no longer applies those features to new properties. Knights Inns originally also had notable use of flowers and other landscaping. It competes one step above its sister brand, Super 8 Motel, because Knights Inn typically offers a few more features than Super 8 does.

Knights Inn started in Columbus, Ohio when its first location opened in 1974. The Columbus-based Cardinal Industries, Inc., former manufacturer of prefabricated buildings such as apartments and motels, developed the chain ^[1]. In 1991, Hospitality Management Systems acquired the Knights Inn franchise and management contract rights from Cardinal Industries, which had entered bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy, before the HMS purchase, Motel 6 bought many locations as a quick way to add motels where it had a need (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Hagerstown, Orlando). These motels either are still existing or have been rebuilt. Cendant purchased Knights Inn in 1995. At this same time, the sister brands of Knights Inn, such as Arborgate Inns, Knights Stop, and Knights Court changed their properties' names to Knights Inn. Knights Court was the full-service variant, Knights Stop was the no-frills, economy variant, and Arborgate Inns were found in urban or high-traffic areas. Wyndham Worldwide acquired Knights Inn in 2005. As of November 2007, there were 225 properties currently open in the United States and Canada.