The New York Times ran an article and interview yesterday about Mr. Barry Sternlicht, the head of Starwood Capital Group. Sternlicht was also the founder and CEO of Starwood Hotels from 1995 until 2004.
He wants to have a second act in the hotel field and will revive the Starwood Hotels & Resorts brand this year with four existing brands.
You can access SH Hotels & Resorts here.
Reborn Starwood has three core brands—1 Hotels, Treehouse, and Baccarat—operating 14 hotels across five countries. The group plans aggressive expansion, with 22 new properties slated to open by 2028. Upcoming locations include:
- 1 Hotels: Austin, Crete, and Seattle
- Treehouse: Manchester, Miami
- Baccarat: Dubai, Rome, and the Maldives
The SH Collection is also a “soft brand” for hotels that don’t quite fit the other three brands.
Legacy Starwood Brands (Now Under Marriott):
Luxury
- St. Regis Hotels & Resorts: Ultra-luxury hotels known for bespoke service.
- The Luxury Collection: A collection of high-end independent hotels with unique character.
- W Hotels: Trendy, lifestyle-focused luxury hotels.
Upscale
- Westin Hotels & Resorts: Known for wellness-focused experiences, including the Heavenly Bed.
- Le Méridien: A brand with French flair, inspired by art and culture.
- Sheraton Hotels & Resorts: A global, full-service hotel brand catering to business and leisure travelers.
Select-Service and Other Categories
- Aloft Hotels: A modern, tech-forward hotel brand targeting younger travelers.
- Element by Westin: Eco-friendly extended-stay hotels.
- Four Points by Sheraton: A midscale brand offering comfort and value.
+ Tribute Portfolio soft brands and Design Hotels.
Starwood Capital’s 1 Hotel Guest Loyalty Program
Conclusion
This is an interesting development, as Mr. Sternlicht can undoubtedly assemble a new chain relatively fast through his Starwood Capital Group, which owns quite a few hotels that operate under various brands, such as Radisson Blu hotels in the UK (read more here).
You could argue that the last innovation in the hospitality field was the W brand, which has been copied and redefined by numerous other chains and lost and neutered under Marriott’s leadership.
What set then Starwood Hotels apart was the guest loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), which the program members and members loved and were very passionate about (you couldn’t say the same about Marriott Rewards). The now deceased Marriott CEO once called SPG members rabid, as he didn’t like to be called for inferior rewards, customer service, and lacking brand standards.
We wish Mr. Sternlich the very best. Hopefully, he can bring some fun and excitement back to the hospitality sector, where players are merely copying each other’s brands and trying to offer something for each market segment.
