C17PSGR

Interesting article today in Bloomberg:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-luxury-brands

Among other things, distinguishing RC as a brand that connects people to the destination and St.Regis as a brand that is the destination.

Also distinguishing Starwood as being more innovative from a tech perspective.

SkiAdcock

Saw that & posted in the SPG sticky. Since I did that, didn't post here to avoid the dual posting thing.

There are 8 brands in the luxury category & there are 2 categories of luxury. Classic & distinctive (the latter being more boutique-y).

Article also says no announcements for a while re: merging the loyalty programs as it's very complicated.

Cheers.

Herb687

So, in other words, meaningless marketing drivel?

C17PSGR

Maybe not ... although I'll confess I'm not that familiar with St. Regis.

For example, a RC in Atlanta really isn't a destination. It's a comfortable place to stay while in Atlanta. In contrast, the St. Regis in Kauai is a destination in and of itself. A place, to use the language in the article, where you "want to be seen."

Of course, my problem ... is I don't really give a crud about being seen ... (or telling people which hotel brand I stayed in). And, as for the RC, I don't really feel like it connects me to the destination as it just seems pretentious and uptight.

For my 150 nights a year ... I'm looking for a friendly, but high end, place where I feel I'm in city XXX ... which is I suppose what the JW is aiming for.

Herb687

I'm not familiar with the RC ATL but I am a regular at both the St. Regis and Mandarin Oriental (going back to its previous incarnation as the Rosewood Mansion on Peachtree) in ATL.

While there may be reasons to prefer one of those luxury hotels over another, to suggest that any luxury hotel in a big city market like ATL is going to be the "destination" while some other luxury hotel brand in the same market is instead going to connect you to the destination is pure whiskey tango foxtrot 100% marketing bullsh.

Similarly, can one really argue that on a vacation island like Kauai, that the St. Regis (which used to be a different Starwood brand anyway) is any more of a destination than any other high-end property on the island?

It's all just marketing blabber.

bhrubin

Today Marriott officially debuted its new Luxury Brand Group to include:

Ritz-Carlton
St. Regis
W
Luxury Collection
EDITION
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
JW Marriott
Bulgari

https://skift.com/2016/12/05/marriot...its-30-brands/

I knew these would be the luxury brands. I also knew Luxury Collection would be among them...since far more than not those properties are 5 star, not 4 star or less like Marriott's Autograph Collection or Starwood's Tribute Portfolio or Design Hotels.

I expect Marriott soon will merge the Tribute Portfolio properties into the Autograph Collection, since they do occupy the same space of being independent 4 star properties offering "unbranded" and more unique flavors and experiences. I won't be surprised if eventually we see a few Luxury Collection properties moved into Autograph and vice-versa based on prevailing room rates and market conditions/expectations.

hnewman

I am surprise that Le Meridien did not make the cut.

bhrubin

Nah, Le Méridien is an upper upscale category hotel akin to Westin, Renaissance, Design, Marriott, Sheraton, and most Autograph and Tribute Portfolio hotels. That's the meat of Starwood and a big chunk of Marriott.

SkiAdcock

Actually it was announced last week & there's a thread in both forums re: it. So perhaps this thread should be merged into the already existing thread in this forum.

Cheers.

hnewman

Thanks I did not know. Stayed at 1 once and thought it was nicer than the JW and saw they have them in Bora Bora.

bhrubin

Le Méridien is a wonderful brand. I've stayed at many (Santa Monica, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Cambridge, New York, Philadelphia, Arlington VA, and Charlotte) and enjoyed them all. But they aren't luxury.

SocialAdept

JWM sticks out like a sore thumb in that group, love their hotels but luxury it is not.

sammyindc

Depends on the property. Some of them are more luxurious than Ritz Carlton while others are pretty much a regular Marriott.

bhrubin

I agree that not at all JWM quite command respect as luxury hotels. However, not all RC or W or Luxury Collection hotels do, either.

My guess is that the larger Marriott umbrella will better allow Marriott to push hotel owners to higher building/refurbishment standards or risk being demoted to a different brand. It's easy to imagine subpar JWM, RC, LC, or W hotels being demoted to Renaissance, Autograph, LM, Westin or different brand hotels as appropriate. Consider that the W San Diego rebranded as a Renaissance before the merger was even announced.

SkiAdcock

I've PM'd the mod to ask him to merge this into the previously created thread that was started last week when the announcement was first made. It's typical to do so when there are 2 threads on the same topic.

Cheers.