Clarion Hotel Brand Reunites Iraq War Veterans in "Meet Me at Clarion" Contest

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clarion hotel brand awarded the 2017 "Meet Me at Clarion" contest prize to Army veteran Brent Wilson from Chippewa Falls, Wisc. The prize package includes a group getaway to the home of country music, Nashville, Tenn., to attend the Country Music Association Awards.

As this year's winner, Wilson and five friends received a three-night stay and invitation to a VIP event at the Clarion Hotel in downtown Nashville, round-trip airfare, and a personalized Nashville experience ? including a private tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery and famous country music honky tonk establishments ? culminating with tickets to attend the 2017 Country Music Association Awards show on November 8, 2017.

In his winning entry, Wilson described the brotherly bonds formed during "a fairly rough" deployment that saw many painful losses. He added that he and his fellow platoon members had not been together for more than a decade. But, he hoped that winning the Meet Me at Clarion contest would help to bring them back together to celebrate their love of country and country music.

"I am so grateful I had a chance to live and serve next to these fine men who did not look like me, but were my brothers nonetheless. It really gave all of us perspective and I will always cherish the memories we made together," Wilson said in his submission. "Winning this contest would allow me to reward each of my friends by bringing us all together to share our same passion, country music." 

With onsite bars and restaurants, meeting space and convenient amenities, Clarion hotels are an ideal option for social and business gatherings, which reinforces the brand promise that Clarion is the hotel to Get Together Here.

"The Clarion brand is about bringing people together and the Meet Me at Clarion contest does just that for deserving people like Brent Wilson," said Anne Smith, vice president of brand management and design for Choice Hotels. "Wilson and his friends have given back by serving our country, and we're thrilled to be able to honor and reunite them with this opportunity."

Chat. Laugh. Reconnect. We'll see you at Clarion.

Clarion®: Get Together Here

We believe that life is better when you get together. Business travel, special events, meetings, vacations or a weekend getaway?we have the convenient and affordable accommodations that make all of your business and social gatherings possible. Our hotels offer meeting space and rooms for events, along with catering, restaurants and bars in a social atmosphere that can help you make the most of your time together with friends, family and colleagues. In addition to comfortable rooms with premium bedding, Clarion properties offer free Wi-Fi, 24-hour business centers, and fitness centers or pools. There are more than 180 Clarion brand hotels currently open or under development in the United States and more than 330 in 22 countries around the world. For more information visit www.ClarionHotel.com.

About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the world's largest hotel companies. With over 6,500 hotels franchised in more than 40 countries and territories, Choice Hotels International represents more than 500,000 rooms around the globe.  As of September 30, 2017, over 800 hotels were in our development pipeline. Our company's Ascend Hotel Collection®, Cambria® Hotels, Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Sleep Inn®, Quality®, Clarion®, MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, Econo Lodge®, Rodeway Inn®, and Vacation Rentals by Choice Hotelstm brands provide a spectrum of lodging choices to meet guests' needs. With more than 33 million members, our Choice Privileges® rewards program enhances every trip a guest takes, with benefits ranging from instant, every day rewards to exceptional experiences, starting right when they join.  All hotels and vacation rentals are independently owned and operated. Visit us at www.choicehotels.com for more information.

© 2017 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.