Starwood Hotels & Resorts has expanded partnership with Design Hotels, in a move that sees the independent hotel collection become the “11th Starwood brand”.
Starwood acquired a 49.8% stake in Design Hotels in 2011, although the two companies have continued to operate separately since then. But under a new agreement announced at International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), the companies revealed plans to further integrate their operations.
“Select” Design Hotels properties will now be bookable via Starwood’s websites, mobile apps and call centres, and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members will be able to earn points during their stays at participating hotels. At least 40 Design Hotels are expected to join Starwood in the initial phase.
“Starwood’s hotel guests and SPG members will see our new marketing partnership with Design Hotels as an 11th Starwood brand,” said Adam Aron, Starwood’s interim CEO. “It will create a special niche in our distinct portfolio of global brands and offer more options for travellers to stay with us around the world.
“These independent, design-forward hotels will benefit from Starwood’s powerful loyalty and distribution platforms. They will also serve to help us enhance owner and shareholder returns and attract more high-value guests to SPG who make up more than half of all Starwood stays,” he added.
The first SPG partner hotels include the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York, Ten Bompas in Johannesburg, C-Hotel and Nira Montana in Italy, Nira Alpina in Switzerland and Kruisherenhotel Maastricht in the Netherlands, while ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Iceland, the Tribe Hotel in Kenya, and Grupo Habita’s hotels in Mexico will join before the end of 2015.
Further properties in cities including London, Istanbul, Shanghai, Athens, Singapore and Seoul will be added in early 2016.
Design Hotels will continue to operate independently from its current headquarters in Berlin.
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