<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>


    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001002579</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EXTENDED STAY AMERICA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ESA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001236708</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OAKES CORRY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and COO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>6850</value>
            </transactionShares>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 1/2/96)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>13.375</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1997-01-02</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2006-01-02</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>56074</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 5/9/96)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>13.25</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1997-05-09</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2006-05-09</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>40000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 1/7/97)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>18.5</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1998-01-07</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2007-01-07</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>40541</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 3/19/97)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>17.875</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1998-03-19</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2007-03-19</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>16783</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 1/8/98)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>11.375</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1999-01-08</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2008-01-08</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>48000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 11/2/98)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>9.5</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1999-11-02</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2008-11-02</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>21500</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 11/1/99)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>8.1563</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2000-11-01</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2009-11-01</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>18000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 10/10/00)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>11.2813</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2001-10-10</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2010-10-10</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>50000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 10/30/01)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>13.035</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2002-10-30</value>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2011-10-30</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>50000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)(Grant date 10/22/02)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>12.88</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-10-22</value>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-10-22</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>50000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant to reporting person of option to buy shares of common stock under the Extended Stay America, Inc. Amended and Restated 1995 Employee Stock Option Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).  The option becomes exercisable  in 25 percent increments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, respectively.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Grant to reporting person of option to buy shares of common stock under the Extended Stay America, Inc. Amended and Restated 1996 Employee Stock Option Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).  The option becomes exercisable in 25 percent increments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, respectively.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Grant to reporting person of option to buy shares of common stock under the Extended Stay America, Inc. 1997 Employee Stock Option Plan in a transaction exempt under rule 16b-3(c).  The option becomes exercisable in 25 percent increments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, respectively.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Grant to reporting person of option to buy shares of common stock under the Extended Stay America, Inc. 1998 Employee Stock Option Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).  The option becomes exercisable in 25 percent increments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, respectively.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Grant to reporting person of option to buy shares of common stock under the Extended Stay America, Inc. 2001 Employee Stock Option Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).  The option becomes exercisable in 25 percent increments on the first, second, third, and fourth anniversaries of the grant date, respectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Corry W. Oakes, III</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

