More access, more destinations: Starwood Hotels & Resorts expands partnership with Design Hotels

From the annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced an expanded partnership with Design Hotels-AG, which consumers will see as an 11^th Starwood brand. Impeccable décor, fine dining, service that leaves nothing to be desired – this is one hell of a collaboration. 

The move comes just seven months after Starwood launched its 10^th brand, Tribute Portfolio. Since 2011, Starwood has been a majority but passive investor in the Berlin-based Design Hotels^™, which for more than two decades has served as a global distribution, sales and marketing affiliation for nearly 300 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts united by the vision of bold, diverse hoteliers, known as “Originals.”

“Starwood’s hotel guests and SPG members will see our new marketing partnership with Design Hotels^™ as an 11^th Starwood brand. 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,” said Adam Aron, Starwood CEO on an interim basis. “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.”

With 296 affiliated hotels in a wide variety of settings, from great capital cities to beach retreats, mountain resorts, offbeat spots, and far beyond, more member hotels of the Design Hotels^™ portfolio are expected to sign up over the next 12 months. With a passion for cultural authenticity and genuine hospitality, Design Hotels^™ embraces properties across premium and luxury segments that are crafted with the purpose of providing lasting memories for locals and travellers alike.

“Since launching Design Hotels™ more than 20 years ago, we have built an engaged community of followers and an outstanding portfolio of hotels created by artisans whose visions provide guests with a meaningful and original experience,” said Claus Sendlinger, founder and CEO of Design Hotels^™. “As we continue to grow in our niche of the ‘New Luxury Segment,’ we are excited to see an initial selection of our member hotels take the opportunity to join SPG and be among the first to benefit from our partnership with Starwood. We expect more and more to take advantage, with at least 40 member hotels projected to join by the beginning of 2016.”

“This is an exciting new partnership for our SPG Members,” said Mark Vondrasek, Starwood’s Senior Vice President, Commercial Services. “Our concentration of high-end hotel brands plus partnerships with companies like Delta, Uber, American Express, and Emirates Airline—and now Design Hotels™—continue to raise the stakes in loyalty and make it very compelling for travellers to choose to stay with Starwood.”

Watch this space…