Originally Posted by bhrubin

Of all the Marriott luxury brands, JW Marriott is in many ways the least luxurious...but still is a luxury category brand by price point (which is how luxury is determined by the hotel industry). Even W hotels command a much higher average price point. As with all brands, even luxury brands, there are newer and better and older and worse examples.

JW Marriott was always branded as affordable luxury, which is why it has the lowest average price point of any of Marriott’s luxury brands. That it is more affordable also means it will have lower quality in some lower price point markets.

JW Marriott doesn’t compare with the Ritz Carlton brand as comparably as you suggest, aside from both being Marriott luxury brands. St Regis is the better brand equivalent for RC.

Marriott may yet work on the consistency of its biggest Marriott brand in the same way that it now is approaching Sheraton (its second biggest brand). But there is less inconsistency with the Marriott branded hotels than there is with Sheraton hotels. One thing at a time. Sheraton is the obvious bigger priority. But those aren’t high end/luxury brands appropriate for discussion in this Luxury Hotels Forum.

That being said, with a portfolio as large as Marriott now commands, there are not too many brands from their operator/management perspective. Having so many Brands captures much of their former competition, allowing them to charge more. The multitude of luxury and other brands may confuse or displease you and/or other consumers, but if in the end it improves the Marriott bottom line it is a solid boon to Marriott, regardless.