Starwood 'to enter into a dominating agreement with Design Hotels'
Mar 21, 2014, 1:31 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,847
None of which would preclude an arrangement where these hotels could participate in SPG, perhaps with some modified terms and conditions and perhaps under a new, more flexible "design hotels" brand. SPG Total Rewards is one model.
Negotiating participation would be difficult as it would involve many independent properties, but it would also be an easier way to grow than trying to add hotels piecemeal through flipping properties from other chains, agreements around new builds or going after independents one by one.
I and many others I'm sure would hope for something more integrated than SPG Total Rewards if Starwood did bring Design Hotels under the SPG umbrella. Hope they do this - it would be fantastic to see really strong growth in Europe in particular.
Negotiating participation would be difficult as it would involve many independent properties, but it would also be an easier way to grow than trying to add hotels piecemeal through flipping properties from other chains, agreements around new builds or going after independents one by one.
I and many others I'm sure would hope for something more integrated than SPG Total Rewards if Starwood did bring Design Hotels under the SPG umbrella. Hope they do this - it would be fantastic to see really strong growth in Europe in particular.
Except that with Total Rewards Starwood is dealing with Ceasars. With "Brand Hotels" it is just a website. Starwood would have to negotiate with every one of the hotels individually and work out management agreements and brand standards with them--when many of the hotels have their own brand standards-- like Standard Hotels in LA--which is a separate brand entirely. It is way more complicated that dealing with Ceasars for a loose partnership between two existing hotel rewards programs.
Mar 21, 2014, 9:56 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,404
And who's to say the roadmap doesn't include some sort of SPG participation for the Design Hotels branded properties? The Luxury Collection shows Starwood isn't afraid of having a collection of unique properties under the same brand.
Mar 22, 2014, 3:11 am
#33
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oslo
Posts: 448
I agree, The Thief in Oslo is supposed to be fantastic, I have only had brunch there & it was great!
Mar 24, 2014, 4:33 am
#34
Moderator, SkyTeam and Germany
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: FRA/STR/NUE
Programs: BA, LH, KL, EY, IHG, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Radisson
Posts: 5,946
I read about it on the biztravel.fvw.de website and did a google search that revealed that Roeland Vos started to be vice pres of Design Hotels AG in 2012. He's been starwoods director for europe before and I think this whole thing was planned for a long time. Maybe he will become pres of the company after starwood took fully over?
I believe that starwood plans to integrate Design Hotels in their booking sites somehow. The benefit for both sides are too obvious as to just see it as an invest outside of the starwood programs IMO.
It would make best sense IMO if starwood plans to offer Design Hotels as a separate brand within their booking sites and credit spg points for such bookings. Starwood could increase their european hotels bookings and its presence on this market and Design Hotels would have a new booking channel leading to more bookings via their own channels instead of giving 15% commission to other portals.
I would of course prefer full participation in spg - but probably there might be some limitations especially on the elite benefits side. I could live with that if on the other side the long neglected european market would get such a number of interesting new hotels to chose from. For me it would probably result in 10 more bookings per year via starwood if they integrate Design Hotels into the spg program at least partly.
I believe that starwood plans to integrate Design Hotels in their booking sites somehow. The benefit for both sides are too obvious as to just see it as an invest outside of the starwood programs IMO.
It would make best sense IMO if starwood plans to offer Design Hotels as a separate brand within their booking sites and credit spg points for such bookings. Starwood could increase their european hotels bookings and its presence on this market and Design Hotels would have a new booking channel leading to more bookings via their own channels instead of giving 15% commission to other portals.
I would of course prefer full participation in spg - but probably there might be some limitations especially on the elite benefits side. I could live with that if on the other side the long neglected european market would get such a number of interesting new hotels to chose from. For me it would probably result in 10 more bookings per year via starwood if they integrate Design Hotels into the spg program at least partly.
May 27, 2014, 10:06 am
#35
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/g...0/4065411.html
The above link seems to suggest a domination agreement has been signed which means Starwood will gain control management of Design Hotels. I assume this means Design Hotels will be integrated into SPG?
The above link seems to suggest a domination agreement has been signed which means Starwood will gain control management of Design Hotels. I assume this means Design Hotels will be integrated into SPG?
May 27, 2014, 10:16 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,784
This thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...tion-time.html might interest you.
Jul 29, 2014, 8:38 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
Starwood New Brand: Design Hotels?
I know there have been a few threads from the past discussing Design Hotels and how it meant probably nothing to SPG.
This article is suggesting we may soon have Design Hotels as Starwood's tenth brand. Exciting news if true!
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20..._To_Its_Empire
This article is suggesting we may soon have Design Hotels as Starwood's tenth brand. Exciting news if true!
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20..._To_Its_Empire
Jul 29, 2014, 9:48 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
Jul 29, 2014, 10:39 pm
#39
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,690
not according to the CEO - http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...-brands.94071/
Jul 30, 2014, 12:36 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,748
not according to the CEO - http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/...-brands.94071/
The quote from the CEO seems to refer more to his hesitation in starting up a new brand. Didn't really quote him being against the acquisition of an existing brand, though the title of the article seems to imply otherwise.
We should also merge this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...tion-time.html
Anyway, the idea of adding Design Hotels appeals to me
Since Le Meridien Khao Lak is not short of fans here, here's the Design Hotels member hotel in Khao Lak, which I also stayed in a few days after LMKL. Nice!
https://www.designhotels.com/hotels/...sa-de-la-flora
Last edited by travelswithmyself; Jul 30, 2014 at 12:42 am
Jul 30, 2014, 3:00 am
#41
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,598
I don't think we should merge these othet threads as none of them had even been close to association with SPG. Anyway, up to the moderator.
Last edited by Xiaotung; Jul 30, 2014 at 3:01 am Reason: ,
Jul 30, 2014, 3:22 am
#42
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,784
I very much hope current Design hotels will, whether they will be under a new brand name or not, be affiliated with SPG. It would do wonders in Europe!
Jul 30, 2014, 9:48 am
#44
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
Jul 30, 2014, 11:01 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
Since Le Meridien Khao Lak is not short of fans here, here's the Design Hotels member hotel in Khao Lak, which I also stayed in a few days after LMKL. Nice!
https://www.designhotels.com/hotels/...sa-de-la-flora
https://www.designhotels.com/hotels/...sa-de-la-flora
Would be a cool addition...as would many of the other hotels, I'm sure.