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COUNTRY INNS & SUITES BY CARLSON CELEBRATES NATIONAL TEACHER DAY BY LAUNCHING SPECIAL RATE FOR EDUCATORS

MINNEAPOLIS (May 8, 2007) – In celebration of National Teacher Day, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson today announced the launch of a special rate for educators at its more than 400 locations in the United States and Canada. The rate rewards teachers for their commitment to literacy and life-time reading and learning, which Country Inns & Suites supports through their Read It & Return Lending Library. A recent survey in honor of Teacher's Appreciation showed that this commitment to reading and education is paying off, as more than 65 percent of people note summer reading as a priority, even while on vacation.

"It's important that when educators travel – whether for work or a well-deserved vacation – they have affordable lodging options that also offer convenience and quality," said Steve Mogck, executive vice president and brand leader of Select Service Hotels for Carlson Hotels Worldwide. "At Country Inns & Suites, we're dedicated to becoming the hotel of choice for educators, not only with the special rate, but also though our continued support of literacy through our Read It & Return Lending Library, which has recently been expanded to offer twice as many book selections for our guests . By making books available to guests at all of our hotels, we hope to encourage year-round education and reinforce the hard work teachers contribute throughout the school year." Since its inception, the lending library has donated nearly $100,000 to literacy organizations across the country, which help both children and adults improve their reading skills.

In addition to gauging people's passion for reading, the Teacher's Appreciation survey also looked into the specifics on summer reading habits, from both now and summers past, to get an idea of what people love (and loathe) about summer reading:

Packing the Bag - The majority of people (44 percent) bring at least two books with them on their summer vacation trip. Five percent bring 5 or more books.

Crossword Puzzles Won't Do – When asked what they do if they forget to bring a book, 35 percent of people said they purchase something in the airport or on the road, while 32 percent visit a bookstore in the city they are visiting.

Fiction or Non-Fiction? – Mystery was selected as the most popular summer reading genre, preferred by 40 percent of respondents. Biography (17 percent) and Romance (16 percent) were next on the list.

Do I Have to Read That? - When asked about the most difficult/challenging book they had to read over summer vacation for school, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment took top honors, followed by Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice
Can't Put it Down – The favorite book that people read over the summer while growing up was Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, followed by E.B White's Charlotte's Web. Both of these titles are now available in the Read It & Return Lending Library.

Magic and Adventure are King – For today's young readers, the most popular kid's books didn't come as much of a surprise. Parents indicated the Harry Potter series as the most popular for their kids (42 percent), followed by The Chronicles of Narnia series (30 percent) and the A Series of Unfortunate Events series from Lemony Snicket (20 percent).

To learn more about the special rate for educators at Country Inns & Suites, visit www.countryinns.com/educator. Visit www.countryinns.com for more information about the Read It & Return Lending Library. Reservations for all Country Inns & Suites By Carlson can be made through the Web site at www.countryinns.com, by calling toll-free 800-456-4000, or contacting a travel professional.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson is part of Minneapolis, Minn.-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide, whose operations also include Regent Hotels & Resorts; Radisson Hotels & Resorts®; Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts® and Park Inn®. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2007, Country Inns & Suites offers locations that feature traditional architecture and sophisticated residential interior design with hardwood flooring and signature lobby fireplace. Each hotel welcomes guests with services and amenities to meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers. There are currently more than 400 Country Inns & Suites By Carlson locations worldwide

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