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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.19

                             Boykin Lodging Company
                           Key Employee Severance Plan



                                    ARTICLE 1

                             PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS
                             -----------------------

1.1.     PURPOSE. The purpose of this Boykin Lodging Company Key Employee
         Severance Plan ("Plan") is to protect a certain group of key employees
         against an involuntary loss of employment under certain circumstances
         following a change in control of Boykin Lodging Company. To the extent
         that the Plan is considered to be a plan for purposes of the Employee
         Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), it shall
         be considered an unfunded plan maintained primarily for the purpose of
         providing benefits for a select group of management or highly
         compensated employees, within the meaning of U.S. Department of Labor
         Regulations Section 2520.104-24.

1.2.     DEFINITIONS. The following words and phrases as used herein shall have
         the following meanings, unless a different meaning is required by the
         context:

         "Annual Compensation" shall mean, with respect to a Participant, the
         Participant's gross annual base salary at the rate in effect on the
         date of a Change of Control (as defined herein).

         "Benefits" shall mean:

                  (a)      Continuation of the medical, disability, dental and
                           all other group insurance benefits provided to the
                           Participant by the Company at the date of termination
                           (or, in the event the Company is unable to continue
                           these benefits, payment of amounts necessary for the
                           Participant to obtain them);

                  (b)      Continuation of the payment of the Participant's
                           vehicle allowance in an amount equal to the allowance
                           in effect upon the date of termination.

                  In the case of the Chief Executive Officer -

                  (c)      Continuation of the payment of the Participant's
                           regular membership fees and dues for any country
                           club, one golf club and one downtown business club;
                           and

                  (d)      Provision of office space, at no expense to
                           Participant, suitable to the Participant's status as
                           the former Chief Executive Officer of the Company,
                           including a full-time secretary and other customary
                           office support functions.

"Board of Directors" or "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company
as constituted at any time.

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"Cause" shall mean any act or any failure to act on the part of a Participant
which constitutes a felony for which the Participant is convicted or pleads NOLO
CONTENDERE.

"Change of Control" with respect to the company shall be deemed to have taken
place if any of the following events occur:

         (a)      The Board of Directors or shareholders of the Company approve
                  a consolidation or merger that results in the shareholders
                  immediately prior to the transaction giving rise to the
                  consolidation or merger owning less than 50% of the total
                  combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote
                  of the surviving entity immediately after the consummation of
                  the transaction giving rise to the merger; or

         (b)      The Board of Directors or shareholders of the Company approve
                  the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company or
                  the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

         (c)      Any person or other entity (other than the Company or a
                  Subsidiary or any Company employee benefit plan (including any
                  trustee of any such plan acting in its capacity as trustee))
                  purchases any common shares of the Company (or securities
                  convertible into common shares of the Company) pursuant to a
                  tender or exchange offer without the prior consent of the
                  Board of Directors, or becomes the beneficial owner of
                  securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the
                  voting power of the Company's outstanding securities; or

         (d)      During any two-year period, individuals who at the beginning
                  of such period constitute the entire Board of Directors cease
                  to constitute two-thirds of the Board of Directors, unless the
                  election or nomination for election of each new director is
                  approved by at least two-thirds of the directors then still in
                  office who were directors at the beginning of that period.

"Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

"Committee" shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board.

"Company" shall mean Boykin Lodging Company and any successors thereto by
merger, consolidation, liquidation or other reorganization.

"Good Reason" shall mean the occurrence, on or after a Change of Control, of any
of the following with respect to a Participant or his or her status, position,
responsibilities or compensation existing immediately prior to that Change of
Control, unless the Participant has consented thereto in writing: (i) any
limitation of the Participant's responsibilities or duties, or any demotion in
the Participant's position, (ii) any removal of the Participant from, or failure
to re-elect the Participant to, any of the positions with the Company held by
the Participant except in conjunction with an election or appointment to an
equal or higher position, (iii) any reduction in the salary, incentive
compensation and other employee benefits, taken as a whole, (iv) any material
increase in the Participant's travel obligations, or (v) any change in the
Participant's


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principal work location or the location of the Participant's primary work group
by more than 50 miles from such Participant's or primary work group's current
location.

"Involuntary Termination" shall mean (i) a termination by the Company of a
Participant's employment for any reason other than Cause or (ii) the resignation
by a Participant from his or her employment with the Company for Good Reason.

"Participant" shall mean any employee who is entitled to participate in the Plan
in accordance with Sections 2.1 and 2.2.

"Severance Amount" shall mean the amount determined pursuant to Section 3.1.

"Subsidiary" shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken
chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations
(other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain) owns stock possessing
50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of
the other corporations in such chain.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                          ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
                          -----------------------------

2.1      ELIGIBILITY. Each employee of the Company whose title is listed on
         SCHEDULE A hereto and any other employee of the Company who has been
         approved by the Compensation Committee for participation in the Plan
         shall be eligible to become a Participant pursuant to Section 2.2.

2.2      PARTICIPATION. The Company shall, as soon as practicable after the
         effective date of the Plan, prepare and send a letter of participation
         ("Participation Letter") to each employee who is eligible to
         participate in the Plan. An employee shall not become a Participant
         unless and until he or she signs and agrees to his or her Participation
         Letter and the terms and conditions of the Plan.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                                    BENEFITS
                                    --------

3.1      AMOUNT OF SEVERANCE BENEFIT. The Severance Amount to which a
         Participant shall be entitled under the Plan shall be equal to the
         Participant's Annual Compensation multiplied by -

                  -        four and thirty-five one-hundredths (4.35) for the
                           Chief Executive Officer;
                  -        two and seventy one-hundredths (2.70) for the Chief
                           Operating Officer; and
                  -        one and eighty-four one-hundredths (1.84) for the
                           Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice Presidents and
                           Vice Presidents.

3.2      ENTITLEMENT; PAYMENT OF SEVERANCE AMOUNT IN LUMP SUM; PAYMENT OF
         BENEFITS. In the event a Participant's employment with the Company
         terminates within two years after a Change of Control due to an
         Involuntary Termination, the Severance Amount shall be paid in a lump
         sum by the Company upon or immediately following the Participant's
         Involuntary Termination. In addition, the Company shall provide the
         Participant with the Benefits for a period of -

                  -        thirty-six (36) months for the Chief Executive
                           Officer;

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         -        twenty-four (24) months for the Chief Operating Officer; and

         -        eighteen (18) months for the Chief Financial Officer, Senior
                  Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents

         following the Involuntary Termination.

3.3      EXCESS PARACHUTE TAX GROSS-UP. To provide the Participant with adequate
         protection in connection with the Participant's ongoing employment with
         the Company, the Company provides the Participant with various benefits
         pursuant to this Plan and otherwise. On or following a "Change in
         Control," within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, it is
         possible that a portion of those benefits might be characterized as
         "excess parachute payments," within the meaning of Section 280G of the
         Code. The Company acknowledges that the protections set forth in this
         Section 3.3 are important, and it is agreed that the Participant should
         not have to bear the burden of any excise tax that might be levied
         under Section 4999 of the Code in the event that a portion of the
         benefits payable to the Participant pursuant to this Plan or otherwise
         are treated as excess parachute payments. The following shall therefore
         apply:

         (a)      Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the
                  contrary, if it shall be determined that any payment or
                  benefit provided by the Company and any other person to or for
                  the benefit of the Participant (whether paid or payable or
                  provided or providable pursuant to the terms of this Plan or
                  otherwise, but determined without regard to any additional
                  payments required under this Section 3.3) (a "Payment") would
                  be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the
                  Code, or any interest or penalties are incurred by the
                  Participant with respect to such excise tax (such excise tax,
                  together with any such interest and penalties, being
                  hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"),
                  then the Company shall pay to or on behalf of the Participant
                  an additional payment (a "Gross-Up Payment") in an amount such
                  that after payment by the Participant of all taxes (including
                  any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes),
                  including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any
                  interest or penalties imposed with respect thereto) and Excise
                  Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, the Participant retains
                  an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax
                  imposed upon the Payment.

         (b)      All determinations required to be made under this Section 3.3,
                  including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required and
                  the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be
                  utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by
                  an independent public accounting firm with a national
                  reputation in the United States that is selected by the
                  Company (the "Accounting Firm") which shall provide detailed
                  support and calculations both to the Participant and to the
                  Company within fifteen (15) business days after the receipt of
                  notice from the Company that there has been a Payment, which
                  notice shall be provided by the Company to the Accounting Firm
                  within three (3) business days of such Payment. The amount of
                  any Gross-Up Payment shall be paid in a lump sum within seven
                  days following such determination by the Accounting Firm. In
                  the event that the Accounting Firm's determination is not
                  finally accepted by the Internal Revenue Service upon any
                  audit, then an


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                  appropriate adjustment, including penalties and interest, if
                  any, shall be computed (with an additional Gross-Up Payment,
                  if applicable) by the Accounting Firm based upon the final
                  amount of the Excise Tax so determined. Such adjustment shall
                  be paid by the appropriate party in a lump sum within seven
                  days following the computation of such adjustment by the
                  Accounting Firm. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm
                  and all costs associated with any audit by the Internal
                  Revenue Service or any other taxing authority shall be borne
                  solely by the Company.

3.4      WITHHOLDING. Payments under the Plan are subject to such federal, state
         and local income tax withholding and all other federal, state and local
         taxes as are applicable. The Company shall withhold from any payments
         it makes all applicable federal, state and local withholding taxes.

                                    ARTICLE 4

                                     CLAIMS

4.1      CLAIMS PROCEDURE. If any Participant has a claim for benefits which are
         not being paid, such claimant may file with the Committee a written
         claim setting forth the amount and nature of the claim, supporting
         facts, and the claimant's address. The Committee shall notify each
         claimant of its decision in writing by registered or certified mail
         within 30 days after its receipt of a claim, unless otherwise agreed by
         the claimant. If a claim is denied, the written notice of denial shall
         set forth the reasons for such denial, refer to pertinent Plan
         provisions on which the denial is based, describe any additional
         material or information necessary for the claimant to realize the
         claim, and explain the claim review procedure under the Plan.

4.2      CLAIMS REVIEW PROCEDURE. A claimant whose claim has been denied or such
         claimant's duly authorized representative may file, within 60 days
         after notice of such denial is received by the claimant, a written
         request for review of such claim by the Committee. If a request is so
         filed, the Committee shall review the claim and notify the claimant in
         writing of its decision within 30 days after receipt of such request.
         In special circumstances, the Committee may extend for up to 15
         additional days the deadline for its decision. The notice of the final
         decision of the Committee shall include the reasons for its decision
         and specific references to the Plan provisions on which the decision is
         based. The decision of the Committee may be appealed only pursuant to
         Section 6.9.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                                 ADMINISTRATION

5.1      PLAN ADMINISTRATOR. The Company shall be the Plan Administrator and
         shall administer the Plan through the Committee.

5.2      POWERS. The Committee shall have the power to do all things necessary
         or convenient to effect the intent and purposes of the Plan, whether or
         not such powers are specifically set forth herein, and, by way of
         amplification and not limitation of the foregoing, the Committee shall
         have authority, in its judgment, to:



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         (a)      provide rules for the management, operation and administration
                  of the Plan, and, from time to time, amend or supplement such
                  rules;

         (b)      construe the Plan in good faith to the fullest extent
                  permitted by law;

         (c)      correct any defect, supply any omission, or reconcile any
                  inconsistency in the Plan in such manner and to such extent as
                  it shall deem appropriate in its reasonable discretion to
                  carry the same into effect; and

         (d)      make determinations as to a Participant's eligibility for
                  benefits under the Plan, including determinations as to Cause
                  and Good Reason.

5.3      BINDING AUTHORITY. The decisions of the Committee shall be final and
         conclusive for all purposes of the Plan, subject to any appeal or
         review pursuant to Section 4.2 or 6.9.

5.4      EXCULPATION. No member of the Board or Committee shall be directly or
         indirectly responsible or otherwise liable by reason of any action or
         default in connection with the Plan, or by reason of the exercise of or
         failure to exercise any power or discretion in connection with the
         Plan, except for any action, default, exercise or failure to exercise
         in connection with the Plan resulting from such member's bad faith,
         gross negligence or willful misconduct. No member of the Board or
         Committee shall be liable in any way for the acts or defaults of any
         other member of the Board, or any of its advisors, agents or
         representatives.

5.5      INDEMNIFICATION. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each
         member of the Board and Committee against any and all expenses and
         liabilities in connection with the Plan arising out of his membership
         on the Board or Committee, except for expenses and liabilities arising
         out of a member's bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.

5.6      COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. Members of the Board or Committee who are
         employees of the Company shall not receive any compensation for their
         services rendered as such members. The Company shall pay for all
         expenses of the Board and Committee and their respective members
         reasonably incurred in connection with the Plan, including but not
         limited to legal expenses.

5.7      INFORMATION. The Company shall furnish to the Committee in writing all
         information the Committee may deem appropriate for the exercise of its
         powers and duties in the administration of the Plan. Such information
         shall be conclusive for all purposes of the Plan, and the Committee
         shall be entitled to rely thereon without any investigation thereof.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS
                               ------------------

6.1      NON-PROPERTY INTEREST. All benefits payable under the Plan shall be
         paid out of the general assets of the Company. Any Participant who may
         have or claim any interest in or right to any compensation, payment or
         benefit payable hereunder, shall have solely the status of a general
         unsecured creditor of the Company and the Plan constitutes a mere
         promise by the Company to make benefit payments in the future. Nothing
         herein contained shall be construed to give to or vest in the
         Participant or any other person now



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         or at any time in the future, any right, title, interest or claim in or
         to any specific asset, fund, reserve, account, insurance or annuity
         policy or contract or other property of any kind whatsoever owned by
         the Company, or in which the Company may have any right, title or
         interest now or at any time in the future. It is the intention of the
         Company and Participants that the Plan be unfunded for tax purposes and
         for purposes of Title I of ERISA.

6.2      OTHER RIGHTS. The Plan shall not affect or impair the rights or
         obligations of the Company or a Participant under any other written
         plan, contract, arrangement, or pension, profit sharing or other
         compensation plan; provided, however, that, a Participant shall not be
         entitled to any severance benefits under any other plan or policy of
         the Company or any other agreement between the Participant and the
         Company, including any salary continuation or other post-termination
         benefits under an employment agreement between the Participant and the
         Company, with respect to any termination of employment for which the
         Participant is entitled to benefits under the Plan. Notwithstanding any
         other provision of the Plan, the Company may require a Participant who
         is a party to any such plan, policy or agreement to execute an
         appropriate release with respect to such agreement as a condition to
         the receipt of a Severance Amount under the Plan. For purposes of the
         prohibition on duplicative benefits under this Section 6.2, benefits
         under a vacation or sick pay policy, if any, shall not be deemed to be
         severance benefits.

6.3      AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION. The Plan may be amended, modified, suspended,
         or terminated (any such action, a "Revision") by the Company at any
         time and from time to time by action of the Board; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
         that any Revision made prior to September 30, 2001 shall be effective
         only with respect to Participants who have given prior written consent
         to such Revision; and, PROVIDED, FURTHER, that any Revision made on or
         after September 30, 2001 shall be effective (i) with respect to all
         Participants, only if all Participants are given at least 365 days
         advance written notice of the Revision and the Revision is made
         effective as of an anniversary date of September 30, 1999, and (ii) if
         the conditions of clause (i) are not satisfied, only with respect to
         Participants who have given prior written consent to such Revision.

6.4      SEVERABILITY. If any term or condition of the Plan shall be invalid or
         unenforceable to any extent or in any application, then the remainder
         of the Plan, with the exception of such invalid or unenforceable
         provision, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in effect
         and application to its fullest extent.

6.5      NO EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. Neither the establishment of the Plan, any
         provisions of the Plan, nor any action of the Board or the Committee
         shall be held or construed to confer upon any employee the right to a
         continuation of employment by the Company. Subject to any applicable
         employment agreement, the Company reserves the right to dismiss any
         employee, or otherwise deal with any employee to the same extent as
         though the Plan had not been adopted.

6.6      INCAPACITY. If the Committee determines that a Participant is unable to
         care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident, any benefit
         due the Participant may be paid to the Participant's spouse or to any
         other person deemed by the Committee to have incurred expense for such
         Participant (including a duly appointed guardian, committee or other
         legal representative), and any such payment shall be a complete
         discharge of the Company's obligation hereunder.



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6.7      TRANSFERABILITY OF RIGHTS. The Company shall have the unrestricted
         right to transfer its obligations under the Plan with respect to one or
         more Participants to any person, including, but not limited to, any
         purchaser of all or any part of the Company's business. A Participant's
         rights to benefit payments under the Plan are not subject in any manner
         to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge,
         encumbrance, attachment, or garnishment by creditors of the
         Participant. Any attempt to transfer or assign a benefit, or any rights
         granted hereunder, by a Participant shall, in the sole discretion of
         the Committee (after consideration of such facts as it deems
         pertinent), be grounds for terminating any rights of the Participant to
         any portion of the Plan benefits not previously paid.

6.8      GOVERNING LAW. The Plan shall be construed, administered, and enforced
         according to the laws of the State of Ohio, except to the extent that
         such laws are preempted by the federal laws of the United States of
         America.

6.9      ARBITRATION OF ALL DISPUTES. Any controversy or claim arising out of or
         relating to the Plan, after exhaustion of the procedures under Article
         IV, shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in the City of
         Cleveland, Ohio. The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with
         the then existing rules of the American Arbitration Association. The
         arbitrators shall not have the power to add to or delete from or
         otherwise amend the provisions of the Plan. If the Participant is
         dissatisfied with the written decision of the Committee under Section
         4.2, the Participant shall have the right to appeal the matter to
         arbitration pursuant to this Section 6.9. A demand for arbitration must
         be submitted in writing to the Committee within 120 days after receipt
         of the Committee's written decision under Section 4.2. If an
         arbitration is demanded, the Committee shall submit to the arbitrators
         a certified copy of the record upon which the Committee's decision was
         made. The decision rendered by the arbitrators shall be final and
         binding upon all parties. The costs and expenses of the arbitration
         shall be borne by each respective party; provided, however, that the
         arbitrators shall award costs and expenses to the Participant if the
         Participant is the prevailing party. Judgment upon the award rendered
         by the arbitrators may be entered in any court having jurisdiction
         thereof.

6.10     GENDER NEUTRALITY. The masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include the
         feminine, and the singular number shall be deemed to include the plural
         unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context.

6.11     EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan was authorized and adopted by the Board and
         shall be effective at September 30, 1999.


                                            BOYKIN LODGING COMPANY

                                            By: /s/  Robert W. Boykin
                                                --------------------------------
                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------------

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                                   Schedule A
                                   ----------

                                     Titles
                                     ------



         Chief Executive Officer
         Chief Operating Officer
         Chief Financial Officer
         Senior Vice President
         Vice President



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