user48640

I think Marriott should just brand its all-inclusive properties (be they these properties, the previously announced ones or any future ones) as "All-in by Marriott." Why reinvent the wheel and confuse brands? And the idea that Autograph Collection is not a brand is absurd. Calling it a "collection" is marketing/advertising-speak.

Perhaps what's weirder is that Marriott puts Luxury Collection in the same "distinctive luxury" category of brands as Edition, Ritz-Carlton Reserve (not a Bonvoy-participating brand) and W Hotels. Missing from that category is Bulgari. I also don't understand how Marriott Vacation Club and Delta are in the same "classic premium" category of brands as Marriott and Sheraton. I have never stayed at a Delta property anywhere close to the best Marriott or Sheraton properties. I have stayed at numerous Four Points and Courtyard properties with more to offer than Delta properties. Delta strikes me as the North America equivalent of Protea.

Of course, even the listing of brands and categories of brands is misleading and inaccurate since there are sub-brands, like Sheraton Grand, the Marquis branded Marriott or JW Marriott properties, the all-suites Marriott properties, and the Westin or Sheraton timeshare properties that despite being called a Westin or Sheraton aren't actually a real Westin or Sheraton and don't provide full Bonvoy benefits.

The absurdity gets worse when Gaylord is placed into the "distinctive premium" category of brands alongside Le Meridien, Renaissance and Westin.

I would put Gaylord, Marriott Vacation Club, the Westin and Sheraton timeshares, and the new all-inclusive properties into the same brand category. For lack of a better term, call this category the "events and leisure" brands.

user48640

It looks like Marriott's affiliated all-inclusive resorts won't be exclusively branded Autograph Collection:



https://all-inclusive.marriott.com/our-resorts

I wonder if non-resorts could become all-inclusive. If I was the Sheraton at an airport somewhere competing against 12 or 15 other mediocre airport hotels why not offer a full-board rate? After all, many properties across all brands already offer packages that include breakfast and a dinner credit.

Herb687

Then count me among the absurdity believers. The Autograph Collection is NOT a brand in any typical functional sense of the term. Do you actually stay in Autograph Collection properties? They have minimal Autograph Collection/Marriott branding anywhere in and on their properties. I happen to be looking at a notepad from the Watermark in BTR as I'm writing this. The notepad proclaims the Watermark "A Downtown Landmark Since 1925" and has the property's logo (note - property logo), address, phone number, and website (not a Marriott URL) on the notepad. There is not a single mention of Autograph Collection, Marriott, or Bonvoy on the thing.

While that may be true, it's still more a collection than a brand as the Autograph Collection properties' primary brand is their property name, not the Marriott Autograph Collection affiliation.

You are way too hung up on market segmentation. Marketing major perhaps? The fact of the matter is that with 5,000+ properties worldwide one cannot rely on a brand (or collection!) to signal anything. Even in brands that are really brands (W, RC, St.R, etc.) there are huge differences between the best and worst properties in those brands.

Obsessing over where a certain Marriott property fits in their hierarchy of brands is nearly as foolish as chasing Marriott status! Stay at nice hotels regardless of their brand and avoid the bad ones regardless of theirs.

user48640

Outside of a distinct minority of properties directly managed by Marriott International, Marriott itself is not a hotelier. It is a marketing company. I think Gary Leff put it best, guests are the product and hotels are the customer. No wonder why these all-inclusives want to join Marriott. They want access to something like 160 million customers in Bonvoy.

MSPeconomist

Great. Now we'll have eight more special cases regarding elite welcome amenities and breakfast rules.

myperks

wow.. didn’t know there were so many brands that have have all inclusive resorts under the Marriott umbrella. Where is an all inclusive W? Maybe just brands that also offer all inclusive but not necessarily all inclusive throughout.

user48640

It will be interesting to see how they handle elite benefits at these properties. Everything from wifi access, club lounge (do anyone of the current all-inclusive properties have any sort of club floor lounge with premium drinks?), breakfast (presumably included), resort fee, upgrades, etc. Some of these properties are coming online soon. Presumably, there will have to be an announcement pretty soon. I imagine in some markets this could be positive since currently flagged properties will have new competition. This could force them to rethink things like access to non-complimentary club lounges (looking at you Marriott Aruba or JW Marriott Cancun) or the absurdly stingy breakfast benefits. After all, why would anyone redeem points for a category 8 hotel with little to no elite benefits if the all-inclusive is the same number of points or less per night. On the other hand, I could see Marriott thinking guests who like to use points will gravitate toward all-inclusive properties, which will rid the non-all-inclusive properties of the rift raft who demand a free breakfast beyond a bagel and coffee.

TGLoyalty

Wasnt the Atlantis Bahamas 4000 room bed factory Autograph Collection hotel?

SPN Lifer

Alternatively, thrifty riffraff may have a greater propensity to patronize all-inclusive properties.

rrgg

I remember when we point redeemers were called preferred guests.

Rd3

Curious about pricing, specifically for the Cancun properties vs. the existing non-all inclusive options (JW, Ritz, Marriott) I stayed in both the Royalton Chic Suites & JW in 2020, & while the JW was a bit nicer, the all-inclusive factor might steer me to a Royalton if the price is right.

lowfareair

Apparently the Armar House in Cancun (has been rebranded a few times in the last 5 years) is being renovated into a W All-Inclusive.

Most all-inclusives have a Club level. Royalton calls their's Diamond Club. Club rooms at AIs usually include a club-specific restaurant (even if only for breakfast), dedicated beach area and pool, lounge with premium liquors, and other assorted amenities. Here's the Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun's club benefits as an example.

If these were more deeply branded (e.g. not an afterthought like "Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun, an Autograph Collection Hotel" but rather something like "Marriott All-In Riviera Cancun"), I'd expect them to extend that club benefit at a Platinum or Titanium level. Given it's Autograph (I really want to write AC but know it'll be confusing), I wouldn't expect to get upgraded to a club level room.

That's surprising to me, namely bc the Chic resorts are kinda meh for an AI. If the JW is just "a bit nicer", you might want to consider one of the higher-end AIs next time (TRS Coral, Excellence, Live Aqua, Secrets Playa Mujeres, etc.) if the price is right. The Hideaway location above might also tickle your fancy if you want somewhere to earn/burn Bonvoy points.

kgkg

Does Marriott have any plans to allow points redemption for these newly added all-inclusive resorts?

coltonatx

Why do you believe Platinum members won’t get any benefits?

Lefleur

No issue if Marriott wants to acquire these places....but HUGE brand confusion with the "Autograph" tag.

Especially these two as Autographs:

• 566-room Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun
• 332-room Planet Hollywood Adults Scene Cancun

Do folks think these belong in the same brand identity as these hotels (all Autographs)?
Neues Schloss Privat Hotel (Zurich)
Pier One (Sydney, AUS)
Mauna Kea (Hawaii)
Inn at Bay Harbor (Michigan)
The Press Hotel (Maine)

Because that's where I'm totally lost.

I think of Autographs as "upscale" (not necessarily luxury but definitely on the upper-end of the Marriott scale) hotels with a strong sense of local place/identity/culture. Most have local art/theming/culture built into decor, dining, etc.