Why is Renaissance abbreviated as "BR"?
 

OK, it's a minor point but in going through my most recent Marriott Rewards account summary, I found the following:

As you can see, I stayed at two different airport properties - the Fairfield Inn Portland Airport (FI) and the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport (BR).

My question is: Why abbreviate Renaissance as "BR"?

David

Chain codes (just like airline codes) in GDS's are all 2 digits....BR is the chain code for Renaissance (and was established before MI owned the brand)...however most major hotel companies have "family" codes these days...Marriott's is EM (Stands for Every Marriott) which will bring up all MI branded hotels, using the chain code BR would only bring up Renaissance branded hotels

socrates:

Understood. I was just wondering why "BR" and what's its heritage? Brand Renaissance?

David

That's always been my assumption (Brand Renaissance) but I've never heard officially (of if I did I've long forgotten it)....it would be interesting to know what Stouffer's GDS code was before being rebranded once the brand was purchased by New World (heck I'd be interested to know what New World's code was too)

BR seems to be an odd abbreviation for Ramada Renaissance, Stouffer Renaissance, Renaissance Hotels International, or Renaissance Hotels and Resorts by Marriott.

I found this list of hotel codes using Google: http://www.ccrainternational.com/too...lCompanies.htm

There's no RH, I doubt it's a complete list. Many of the codes are less-than-perfect abbreviations.

My first stay at a Renaissance was at the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in Aurora, Colorado, around 1983 or 1984, long before Marriott acquired Renaissance in 1997.

It is, however, interesting that Marriott Rewards uses the BR for Renaissance instead of something more meaningful. According to the list, the code for Fairfield Inn by Marriott is FN, but Marriott Rewards uses the more meaningful code FI.

At least it's not as bad as airline codes. Southwest is WN.