NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Management Agreements

Our wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary ("TRS"), 44 New England and our joint venture partnerships, engage eligible independent contractors in accordance with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code, including HHMLP, as the property managers for hotels leased from us pursuant to management agreements. HHMLP is owned, in part, by certain executives and trustees of the Company. Our management agreements with HHMLP provide for five-year terms and are subject to early termination upon the occurrence of defaults and certain other events described therein. As required under the REIT qualification rules, HHMLP must qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” during the term of the management agreements. Under the management agreements, HHMLP generally pays the operating expenses of our hotels. All operating expenses or other expenses incurred by HHMLP in performing its authorized duties are reimbursed or borne by our TRS to the extent the operating expenses or other expenses are incurred within the limits of the applicable approved hotel operating budget. HHMLP is not obligated to advance any of its own funds for operating expenses of a hotel or to incur any liability in connection with operating a hotel. Management agreements with other unaffiliated hotel management companies have similar terms.

For its services, HHMLP receives a base management fee and, if a hotel exceeds certain thresholds, an incentive management fee. The base management fee for a hotel is due monthly and is equal to 3% of gross revenues associated with each hotel managed for the related month. The incentive management fee, if any, for a hotel is due annually in arrears on the ninetieth day following the end of each fiscal year and is based upon the financial performance of the hotels. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, base management fees incurred totaled $13,048, $13,675 and $12,263 respectively, and are recorded as Hotel Operating Expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, we did not incur incentive management fees.

Franchise Agreements

Our branded hotel properties are operated under franchise agreements assumed by the hotel property lessee. The franchise agreements have 10 to 20 year terms, but may be terminated by either the franchisee or franchisor on certain anniversary dates specified in the agreements. The franchise agreements require annual payments for franchise royalties, reservation, and advertising services, and such payments are based upon percentages of gross room revenue. These payments are paid by the hotels and charged to expense as incurred. Franchise fee expense for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 were $24,477, $27,998 and $26,015 respectively, and are recorded in Hotel Operating Expenses. The initial fees incurred to enter into the franchise agreements are amortized over the life of the franchise agreements.

Accounting and Information Technology Fees

Each of the wholly-owned hotels and consolidated joint venture hotel properties managed by HHMLP incurs a monthly accounting and information technology fee. Monthly fees for accounting services are between $2 and $3 per property and monthly information technology fees range from $1 to $2 per property. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company incurred accounting fees of $1,423, $1,484 and $1,410 respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company incurred information technology fees of $458, $441 and $416 respectively. Accounting fees and information technology fees are included in Hotel Operating Expenses.

Capital Expenditure Fees

HHMLP charges a 5% fee on all capital expenditures and pending renovation projects at the properties as compensation for procurement services related to capital expenditures and for project management of renovation projects. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, we incurred fees of $1,255, $996 and $742 respectively, which were capitalized with the cost of fixed asset additions.

NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)

Acquisitions from Affiliates

We have entered into an option agreement with each of our officers and certain trustees such that we obtain a right of first refusal to purchase any hotel owned or developed in the future by these individuals or entities controlled by them at fair market value. This right of first refusal would apply to each party until one year after such party ceases to be an officer or trustee of the Company. Our Acquisition Committee of the Board of Trustees is comprised solely of independent trustees, and the purchase prices and all material terms of the purchase of hotels from related parties are approved by the Acquisition Committee.

Hotel Supplies

For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, we incurred charges for hotel supplies of $144, $189 and $163 respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, we incurred charges for capital expenditure purchases of $2,166, $4,542 and $10,610 respectively. These purchases were made from Hersha Purchasing and Design, a hotel supply company owned, in part, by certain executives and trustees of the Company. Hotel supplies are expensed and included in Hotel Operating Expenses on our consolidated statements of operations, and capital expenditure purchases are included in investment in hotel properties on our consolidated balance sheets. Approximately $1 is included in accounts payable at both December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

Due From Related Parties

The due from related parties balance as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was approximately $18,332 and $6,243, respectively. The balances primarily consisted of working capital deposits made to HHMLP and other entities owned, in part, by certain executives and trustees of the Company.

Due to Related Parties

The balance due to related parties as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was approximately $0 and $8,789, respectively. The balances consisted of amounts payable to HHMLP for administrative, management, and benefit related fees.

Hotel Ground Rent

For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 we incurred $3,600, $3,137 and $2,433 respectively, of rent expense payable pursuant to ground leases related to certain hotel properties.

Future minimum lease payments (without reflecting future applicable Consumer Price Index increases) under these agreements are as follows:


Year Ending December 31,		Amount

2017	$	2,706
2018		2,714
2019		2,719
2020		2,744
2021		2,782
Thereafter		246,578
	$	260,243

Contingent Consideration

The purchase agreement for the acquisition of the Parrot Key Resort in Key West, FL, which we acquired in the second quarter of 2014, contained a provision that entitled the seller to additional consideration of $2,000 contingent upon the hotel achieving certain net operating income thresholds within twelve months of acquisition. At the time of acquisition, no liability was recorded as the fair market value of the contingent consideration was determined to be $0. Upon remeasurement at the twelve months after acquisition, it was determined that the hotel achieved a net operating income within the agreed upon threshold and the liability of the contingent consideration was determined to be $2,000; and thus was paid to the seller in June 2015.

NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)

Litigation

We are not presently subject to any material litigation nor, to our knowledge, is any other litigation threatened against us, other than routine actions for negligence or other claims and administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, some of which are expected to be covered by liability insurance and all of which collectively are not expected to have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations or business or financial condition.