Even the biggest of them are not necessarily without challenges, especially when it comes to reputation in the luxury hotel world.
Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel company, with a vast portfolio of luxury hotel brands, from St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton to W and Edition. However, its size may also cause some luxury enthusiasts to look elsewhere for luxury accommodation.
It’s not entirely unheard of to hear from hotel snobs. Experts say major hotel conglomerates like Marriott can’t provide the attention to detail needed to keep ultra-luxury guests coming back to their properties. But Marriott certainly seems positioned to capture a wide range of luxury and ultra-luxury travelers in 2025 and beyond.
Marriott’s luxury brands include the Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, JW Marriott, and Bulgari Hotels & Resorts. There are also spin-off properties like the Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
While some hotel enthusiasts may not like their favorite hotels associated with a major brand like Marriott Bonvoy and its loyalty program, many luxury hotel owners seem to see the benefits. is. Marriott had more than 530 luxury hotels at the end of last year, with more than 260 in various stages of development. More than 30 new luxury hotels will join Marriott’s orbit this year, according to a recent corporate presentation at International Luxury. Travel Market Conference held in Cannes, France.
“We see luxury hospitality entering a really promising new era,” Tina Edmundson, Marriott’s president of luxury, said during a breakfast presentation at ILTM. “It’s really driven by a desire for economic growth and personal and, importantly, emotional growth.”
Edmundson noted that the strong outlook for luxury travel is not only due to continued growth in global wealth. It’s also because that wealth is passed on to the next generation of luxury travelers, providing opportunities for brands to develop and reinvent themselves.
“There is no doubt that in the next era, as always, some things will remain the same, some will persist, and some will change,” she added.
This was made clear to me during my recent stay at the St. Regis Mexico City. The St. Regis brand may be synonymous with classic luxury, nicknamed the “House of Astor” after John Jacob Astor, who founded the first facility in New York City. After all, the brand is known for its butler service, cocktails at New York’s dimly lit King Cole Bar, and champagne in the lobby.
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We found that the Mexico City establishment had plenty of that. (Thankfully, who doesn’t love having their morning iced Americano delivered by a butler?)
But there are also places where local and modern prosperity mix. The King Cole Bar in North America’s largest city has an expansive outdoor deck overlooking the Diana the Huntress fountain on Avenida Paseo de la Reforma, and even its Christmas decorations, in partnership with fashion brand Carolina Herrera, are cooler than cool. It created a great atmosphere. Red and pink florals created a couture meets La Condesa backdrop for an afternoon of champagne sabering.
Some of these design tweaks are consistent with broader observations in the luxury sector.
“While many luxury brands focus on serving affluent customers, the reality is that the aspiring luxury traveler segment has grown significantly, and they are increasingly spending more of their wallets on luxury travel options. There is a growing willingness to spend a percentage,” Edmundson said at Cannes.
Global spending on luxury leisure hospitality reached $84 billion in 2023 and is expected to rise to $107 billion in 2028, according to Marriott’s presentation at ILTM. Half of luxury goods sales come from aspiring luxury consumers who may splurge on luxury stays and products from time to time, compared to those considered to be affluent.
Furthermore, by 2030, 80% of the luxury goods market will be comprised of Millennials and Gen Z. The holiday season is all the more reason for luxury hotels to start thinking about creative touches like decorating their lobbies with Carolina Herrera Christmas trees. The next generation of luxury and fashion conscious travelers.
“This group has never been a priority for us, but it will be a huge priority going forward,” Edmundson said.
This year, where can travelers of all generations check out Marriott’s latest and greatest in luxury?
The company’s most anticipated openings in 2025 include The Lake Como Edition in Italy, JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic, and the debut of the revived W New York – Union Square, Necajuy, The Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica and The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Madrid.
Start counting your Marriott Bonvoy points and plan your next luxury vacation.
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