Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe
Drury Hotels is one of the few large U.S. hotel systems that is still privately held by its founding family. The Drury family started the hotel company in 1973, and Drury says the business remains 100% family-owned and operated. It is an independent company and is not part of Marriott International or another global hotel group.
Quick Answer
The Drury family owns and operates Drury Hotels Company, LLC. The private company opened its first Drury Inn in Sikeston, Missouri, in 1973 and now operates more than 150 hotels in 30 states. Drury is not owned by Marriott, Hilton, or another major hotel corporation.
Key Takeaways
- Drury Hotels remains a private, 100% family-owned and operated company.
- The company does not offer franchise opportunities and is not affiliated with Marriott International.
- Drury operates more than 150 hotels in 30 states under the Drury Inn, Drury Plaza Hotel, and Pear Tree Inn brands.
- Chuck Drury currently serves as the company’s chief executive officer.
- Amenities vary by brand and location, especially at Pear Tree Inns and where local alcohol laws apply.
What’s in This Article
- Who Owns Drury Hotels?
- How Drury Hotels Grew From One Property to a National Brand
- What Does Drury Development Corporation Do?
- Is Drury Hotels Related to Marriott International?
- How Drury Hotels Supports Local Communities
- Who Leads Drury Hotels Today?
- What’s Next for Drury Hotels?
- How the Drury Family and Company Give Back
- Which Hotel Brands Does Drury Operate?
- What Free Amenities Do Drury Hotels Offer?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Owns Drury Hotels?
The Drury family owns Drury Hotels Company, LLC. According to the company’s official history, what began as a small family business in 1973 remains 100% family-owned and operated more than 50 years later.
Drury is a private company. It does not publish the detailed shareholder information that a publicly traded hotel corporation would normally disclose. For that reason, the safest supported answer is that the Drury family owns and operates the company. Claims about the exact ownership of every building or the company’s full capitalization should not be made without additional documentation.
Drury’s official FAQ also states that the company does not offer franchise opportunities. This separates its business model from hotel groups that license their brands to thousands of independent owners.
Drury Hotels says it remains 100% family-owned and operated, with more than 6,500 team members and more than 150 hotels in 30 states.
How Drury Hotels Grew From One Property to a National Brand
The Drury family’s business roots were in construction. The company says the Drury brothers grew up in Kelso, Missouri, where they learned plastering, tile setting, and other construction work from their father, Lambert. Their work expanded from small construction projects to service stations, churches, and eventually hotels.
The family opened its first Drury Inn in Sikeston, Missouri, in 1973. The original promise was simple: provide clean rooms, friendly service, and a good night’s sleep at an honest price.
Drury gradually expanded through Missouri and other parts of the United States. The company now operates more than 150 hotels in 30 states. Its current portfolio includes Drury Inn and Drury Inn & Suites, Drury Plaza Hotel, and Pear Tree Inn by Drury.
The company has also expanded its guest offerings over time. Drury introduced free hot breakfast in 2003, launched the 5:30 Kickback in 2010, and opened its first Kitchen + Bar dining location in 2016.
What Does Drury Development Corporation Do?
Drury Development Corporation supports the development and construction of Drury hotels. Its work covers several stages of a hotel project, including development, design, contracting, construction, renovation, and operational planning.
This integrated approach gives the broader Drury organization more control over hotel design and construction standards than a typical franchising company may have. The development company works with subcontractors across the country and handles both new construction and the renovation of existing buildings.
Some Drury projects involve restoring older buildings rather than clearing a site for a completely new structure. Drury currently lists 11 historic-building renovations, including properties in Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Santa Fe, St. Louis, and Wichita.
Sustainability is also part of the company’s published development approach. Drury reports using features such as insulated concrete forms, reflective roofs, efficient water-heating systems, LED lighting, smart thermostats, water-saving fixtures, and lower-waste shower dispensers.
Note: Drury currently identifies four LEED-certified hotels: Drury Inn & Suites Flagstaff, Drury Inn & Suites San Antonio Near La Cantera Parkway, Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview Wichita, and Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe.
Is Drury Hotels Related to Marriott International?
No. Drury Hotels is not owned by Marriott International, is not a Marriott brand, and does not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program. Drury operates its own reservation system and its own Drury Rewards loyalty program.
| Comparison | Drury Hotels | Marriott International |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship | Independent company | Separate hotel corporation |
| Ownership structure | Private and family-owned | Publicly traded company |
| Current size | More than 150 hotels in 30 U.S. states | More than 9,900 properties in 146 countries and territories |
| Loyalty program | Drury Rewards | Marriott Bonvoy |
Being independent gives Drury direct control over its brands, rewards program, service standards, and major guest amenities. However, family ownership alone does not guarantee that every stay will be identical. Room types, parking, pools, dining options, and other property-level features can still vary by location.
How Drury Hotels Supports Local Communities
Drury’s community impact includes hotel employment, local purchasing, historic restoration, and organized volunteer work. New properties create hotel jobs, while restored buildings can return unused or underused landmarks to active service.
Drury says its historic-renovation projects are intended to preserve local architecture, support surrounding economies, and create properties that communities can continue using and recognizing. The company has restored former banks, schools, hospitals, offices, and transportation-related buildings.
A documented example of company-wide service occurred during Drury’s 50th-anniversary celebration in 2023. Team members volunteered at food banks and animal shelters, prepared care packages, supported first responders, and helped local children’s organizations. Drury also donated a tractor-trailer load of food and other supplies to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, with the stated goal of helping more than 70,000 Missourians.
Who Leads Drury Hotels Today?
Chuck Drury serves as chief executive officer of Drury Hotels Company, LLC. He represents a later generation of the family that founded the business.
Although the company remains family-owned, thousands of hotel, construction, sales, technology, food-service, and corporate team members handle its daily operations. Drury reported more than 6,500 team members in 2026.
The company’s customer-service record is one measurable sign of its operating performance. On July 14, 2026, Drury announced that it had earned its 20th J.D. Power award for hotel guest satisfaction. It ranked first among upscale hotel brands for the second year in a row and received the highest ranking in all seven dimensions included in the 2026 study.
What’s Next for Drury Hotels?
Drury continues to expand through newly constructed hotels, renovations, and selected historic-building conversions. Its recent openings include properties in Lincoln, Nebraska; Miramar Beach, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama.
Additional plans announced in July 2026 included a Drury Plaza Hotel in the Century Farms area of Nashville, Tennessee, scheduled for 2026, and the company’s first Daytona Beach, Florida, hotel planned for 2027.
Technology is also becoming more important to the guest experience. Drury offers a mobile app for booking reservations and tracking rewards. Its development and sustainability programs continue to focus on efficient building systems, water-saving equipment, lower-waste amenities, and selected LEED projects.
Because construction schedules and opening dates can change, travelers should confirm future properties through Drury’s official locations and news pages before making plans.
How the Drury Family and Company Give Back
Public information provides clearer evidence of company-led community service than of a separate, broadly documented Drury family grantmaking program. The strongest supported examples involve employee volunteering, food donations, assistance to community organizations, and the preservation of historic local buildings.
Drury’s 2023 anniversary service campaign included work with food banks, animal shelters, first responders, and children’s organizations. These specific examples provide a more reliable picture of the company’s community involvement than unsupported claims about recurring scholarships or disaster-housing programs.
The company also connects sustainability with community responsibility. Its published initiatives include room-key recycling, reusable dinnerware, efficient laundry practices, water-saving fixtures, bulk shower-amenity dispensers, and an optional housekeeping-reduction program for Drury Rewards members.
Which Hotel Brands Does Drury Operate?
Drury groups its hotels into three main guest-facing options:
- Drury Inn and Drury Inn & Suites: The company’s core hotel brand, generally offering free Wi-Fi, hot breakfast, and the 5:30 Kickback.
- Drury Plaza Hotel: An upscale option with enhanced meeting space, larger or upgraded accommodations at many properties, and on-site dining at selected locations.
- Pear Tree Inn by Drury: A more price-focused option with free breakfast and Wi-Fi, but a different amenity package at some locations.
Important: Do not assume every Drury-owned brand includes the same evening food. Hot evening food is not offered at Pear Tree Inns, and other amenities can vary by property.
What Free Amenities Do Drury Hotels Offer?
Drury is known for including several amenities in the room rate. At most Drury Inn, Drury Inn & Suites, and Drury Plaza Hotel locations, these include:
- Free hot breakfast
- Free Wi-Fi
- 5:30 Kickback dinnertime snacks and drinks
- 24-hour coffee
- Evening popcorn and soda at participating properties
- Fitness centers
- Business centers
- Pools or spas at many locations
The 5:30 Kickback runs daily from 5:30 to 7 p.m. It offers a rotating menu of dinnertime snacks, soft drinks, and, where permitted, beer, wine, or mixed drinks.
Pro Tip: Check the page for your exact hotel before booking. Pear Tree Inns have a different evening-food program, and breakfast hours, menus, parking, pools, and restaurant availability can vary by property.
Alcohol rules: Alcohol service is subject to state and local law. Drury notes special pricing or drink limits at hotels in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Drury Rewards is the company’s own loyalty program. Members can earn points on qualifying hotel spending and redeem them for eligible stays and other available rewards. It is separate from Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and other hotel-company programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Drury Hotels?
The Drury family owns and operates Drury Hotels Company, LLC. The private company says it remains 100% family-owned and operated.
Is Drury Hotels owned by Marriott?
No. Drury Hotels is an independent hotel company. It is not owned by Marriott International and is not part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.
How many hotels does Drury operate?
As of July 2026, Drury Hotels reported operating more than 150 hotels in 30 U.S. states.
Where did Drury Hotels begin?
The Drury family opened the first Drury Inn in Sikeston, Missouri, in 1973 after building a successful family construction business.
Who is the CEO of Drury Hotels?
Chuck Drury is the chief executive officer of Drury Hotels Company, LLC.
Does Drury Hotels offer franchises?
No. Drury’s official FAQ describes it as a private, family-owned and operated company and says it does not offer franchise opportunities.
What is the 5:30 Kickback?
The 5:30 Kickback is Drury’s evening food-and-drink service. It runs daily from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at participating Drury hotels. Menus vary, Pear Tree Inns do not provide hot evening food, and alcohol service depends on local law.
Which brands are part of Drury Hotels?
The main brands are Drury Inn and Drury Inn & Suites, Drury Plaza Hotel, and Pear Tree Inn by Drury.
Drury Hotels shows that a family-owned company can grow into a large multistate hotel system without joining a global hotel corporation. Its independent ownership, direct operating model, free core amenities, and long-running focus on service help distinguish it from franchise-heavy competitors. Before booking, check the exact property page so you know which dining, parking, pool, and evening-food amenities are available.
Sources
- About Drury Hotels — ownership, history, leadership, brands, hotel count, and company size
- Drury Hotels Frequently Asked Questions — franchise policy, Kickback hours, and guest policies
- Drury Hotels Amenities — breakfast, Kickback, Pear Tree Inn differences, and alcohol restrictions
- Drury Hotels 2026 J.D. Power Announcement — current award, growth, openings, and operating footprint
- Drury Development Corporation — development, design, construction, contracting, and renovation work
- About Marriott International — Marriott’s current global portfolio and scale