From One stayAPT Suites Property to Three: Why the Model Works
For experienced hotel owner and developer John McConnell, growth has never been about chasing a trend. It has always come down to understanding the market, knowing what guests need, and investing in a model that makes sense over the long term.
As an owner of Virginia-based stayAPT Suites properties, McConnell has expanded from one property to three because he recognized something meaningful in the brand early on. With strong familiarity in the economy extended stay segment, he understood both the strengths and limitations of that space. What he saw in stayAPT Suites was an opportunity to capture the long lengths of stay and steady occupancy that owners have traditionally valued in economy extended stay, but with a more differentiated mid-scale product and a model built for stronger overall performance.
That combination is what convinced him to grow.
“What we look for are demand generators that have proven themselves over time,” McConnell said. “Military, government, healthcare, higher education. Those are the kinds of markets where we feel like we have the best opportunity for success.”
That disciplined approach has shaped each of his stayAPT Suites developments and helped explain why the model has performed so well in his portfolio.
Built on experience in extended stay
One of the strongest aspects of McConnell’s story is the perspective he brings to the category.
Because he knows the economy extended stay segment well, he has a practical understanding of what drives results. He has seen how long lengths of stay can create steady occupancy, simplify operations, and support a more efficient business. But he has also seen the limitations of older or less differentiated product in that space.
With stayAPT Suites, he saw an opportunity to bring those favorable extended-stay fundamentals into a more compelling mid-scale offering.
That is what makes his story so credible. He was not drawn in by novelty. He was responding to a model that made strategic sense.
McConnell believed the right markets could support a better product, stronger positioning, and healthy long-term demand. He also believed guests would recognize the difference.
“We always tried to sell the value of what we had,” he said. “Let’s not just sell rates. Let’s sell the value of what we have.”
That mindset aligns closely with the stayAPT Suites value proposition. The brand offers owners the ability to serve longer-stay demand with a product that feels meaningfully better than many traditional options in the category.
A mid-scale product that captures long-stay demand
What stood out to McConnell was not simply that stayAPT Suites looked different. It was that the brand was positioned to deliver the kind of stay pattern owners want.
In many cases, long average lengths of stay and dependable occupancy are more commonly associated with economy extended stay. stayAPT Suites proves that those same performance characteristics can also exist within a mid-scale concept when the product is designed around how people actually live during longer stays.
That is a significant advantage.
Rather than asking guests to settle for a basic studio layout, stayAPT Suites gives them a true apartment-style experience with space to live more comfortably. That, in turn, creates stronger appeal for guests staying a week, several weeks, or longer. It also supports the kind of consistency owners value because longer stays reduce turnover and create a more stable operating rhythm.
For McConnell, that combination is one of the brand’s greatest strengths. stayAPT Suites can attract the kinds of longer-stay guests that have historically helped economy extended stay perform well, but it does so with a higher-quality physical product and a stronger position in the market.
He noted that once people see the product, the value proposition becomes clear.
“When people see the product, they have no reason not to stay unless price is the number one thing,” he said. “And if it is, it may not be a guest you’re looking for to begin with.”
Why the product stands out
For McConnell, one of stayAPT Suites’ biggest advantages is simple. It feels like a place where someone could actually live comfortably for an extended period of time.
That starts with the layout. Unlike many competitors that rely on a traditional studio-style room, stayAPT Suites offers a true apartment-style setup with separate spaces for living, sleeping, and cooking. Guests are not eating dinner while staring at the bed. They are not trying to settle into a long stay with limited space and minimal functionality.
“I think the fact that we have a separate bedroom, you’re not watching television or trying to eat a meal and looking at your bed,” McConnell said. “You have the apartment-style feel.”
He also pointed to the full kitchen as a major differentiator, especially the full-size oven.
“Anybody that’s staying seven days or more appreciates having an oven,” he said. “If you’re going to be there long term, you’re going to want to cook to some degree.”
He added that the dishwasher is another feature that improves convenience for guests while also supporting operational efficiency. Just as important, the overall design gives property teams something tangible to sell. When prospective guests walk the product, they can quickly understand why it is better suited for a longer stay.
“What works more than anything else is to say, ‘Come back. Take a look,’” McConnell said. “And the answer is always yes.”
That confidence in the product is central to the story. stayAPT Suites is not just a better-looking version of extended stay. It is a format intentionally built to support longer stays in a more livable, comfortable way.
Strong markets, strong early performance
McConnell’s growth with stayAPT Suites has also been driven by discipline in site selection.
His strategy centers on markets with durable demand generators such as military, government, healthcare, higher education, and construction activity. In Virginia, those fundamentals helped make Alexandria, Suffolk, Hampton Roads, and Chesapeake attractive targets for development.
That thesis proved out quickly.
McConnell said the Alexandria-Fort Belvoir property stabilized in less than a year after opening in October 2020, even in the middle of COVID. Suffolk followed a similar path, stabilizing in less than a year as well. In both cases, the early results reinforced the same conclusion. stayAPT Suites was not just appealing in theory. It worked in practice.
“What made us feel like we had a winning formula was occupancy,” McConnell said. “And the fact that we didn’t have to give it away to get the occupancy.”
That point matters. The goal was never to fill rooms by sacrificing rate. It was to offer a product strong enough to support occupancy while preserving value. For McConnell, early performance showed that stayAPT Suites could do both.
A lean model with real operating advantages
McConnell’s perspective on the brand is shaped not only by the guest experience, but also by the economics behind it.
One reason the stayAPT Suites model stands out is that it combines long-stay demand with a leaner cost structure. Because guests stay longer, there is less turnover and less operational strain than in more transient-focused hotel formats. That helps create efficiencies that are especially meaningful for owners.
“This brand is easier to operate than people think because the labor model is simple,” he said.
That simplicity shows up in several ways.
The on-site general manager model creates accountability and responsiveness. Guests know there is someone on property who can make decisions and solve problems. That supports better service and stronger reviews.
At the same time, the housekeeping model is designed around the rhythm of extended stay rather than daily room turns. That has a major impact on staffing needs and labor costs. McConnell said labor at his stayAPT Suites properties runs below 15 percent of revenue, with a goal closer to 12 percent, well below the range he associates with many flagged hotels.
He also noted that outsourced linen and laundry services, where available, can create additional efficiencies.
Taken together, those factors help explain why stayAPT Suites is so compelling in the mid-scale space. It offers a product at a higher level than economy extended stay, but can still benefit from the lower-expense dynamics that come with longer average stays and a more predictable operating cadence.
That is a major point of differentiation for owners evaluating the category. In the same general price band as other mid-scale brands, stayAPT Suites can support reduced expenses and a more efficient model because it is built around a different kind of stay pattern.
Strong guest feedback reinforces the model
Performance metrics matter, but so does the guest experience behind them.
McConnell credited much of his success to the consistency of his teams and the standards they maintain on property. He said his locations average review scores above 4.5 out of 5, with managers’ bonuses tied in part to those scores. That creates accountability and reinforces a service-driven culture.
He believes the on-site general manager model plays an important role there as well. Instead of guest concerns being passed from one employee to another, there is usually someone on property with the authority to respond quickly and directly. That responsiveness shows up in reviews and helps strengthen the reputation of the hotels over time.
For McConnell, the formula is straightforward. Maintain the standards, stay disciplined, and deliver what the brand promises.
Or, as he put it, “We keep our penny shiny.”
A partnership that supports growth
McConnell’s experience with stayAPT Suites is not just about successful properties. It is about repeat investment.
That is often the clearest vote of confidence a franchisee can give.
He describes the relationship with the stayAPT Suites team as a strong partnership built on responsiveness, professionalism, and a willingness to share information. He also brings a practical view of franchise support. Owners need to ask questions, stay engaged, and make full use of the resources available to them. In his view, the support is there, and the professionalism at the corporate level is second to none.
As a hands-on owner, he also appreciates that the brand has been open to feedback as it continues to grow. That has helped create a real partnership rather than a one-size-fits-all relationship.
Why he keeps expanding
Ultimately, McConnell’s story comes back to one idea. The model works.
It works because stayAPT Suites offers the kind of long-stay demand pattern owners have long valued in economy extended stay. It works because the apartment-style product gives guests a more comfortable and compelling experience. It works because the operating model is lean and efficient. And it works because all of those strengths come together in a mid-scale concept that stands apart in the marketplace.
That is why McConnell has grown from one stayAPT Suites property to three, with additional opportunity still ahead.
For prospective franchisees, his advice is direct:
“If you truly understand the business model that stayAPT is presenting to you, and you do what they tell you to do, you’re going to make money.”
Learn more about stayAPT Suites’ franchising opportunities at https://www.stayapt.com/franchising/.