Ramada Inns Expands to Approximately 250 Hotels

In 1970, Ramada Inns reportedly expanded to approximately 250 hotels across the United States, continuing the growth of the Arizona-based hospitality business established by Marion W. Isbell and his associates during the 1950s. The expansion followed the company's development of roadside motor hotels and its adoption of franchising as a means of extending its network into additional markets. Ramada properties served motorists, families, and business travellers, particularly in cities and locations accessible from major highways. The chain's growth coincided with the continued development of the Interstate Highway System and increasing demand for branded accommodation throughout the United States. By the beginning of the 1970s, Ramada was competing with established American lodging chains such as Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson's. Its network included motor inns and larger hotel properties, reflecting a broader accommodation strategy than its original roadside operations in Arizona. The reported 250-property total indicates the scale of Ramada's expansion, although the precise operating count and date require confirmation from contemporary company records. Ramada continued developing its domestic network and later expanded into international hotel markets.