What Travelers Told Marriott About AI and Their Tastes in Hotels
Marriott's massive new survey of adults across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa uncovered a few trends. Staying on top of these trends is easier said than done.
Luke Martin is Skift’s UK-based Jr. Hospitality Reporter, covering the dynamic world of hotels. Prior to joining Skift, Luke worked at GlobalData, where he covered a wide range of industries including hospitality, automotive, retail, and packaging.
Death & Co Aims to Build a Bar-First Hotel Brand
Death & Co., the cocktail establishment that helped ignite America's craft-cocktail renaissance, is rolling out a hotel brand. The goal is to make the bar the heart of the hotel, not just an afterthought.
Preferred Hotels Counters Marriott and Hilton’s Soft Brand Blitz
Preferred’s real advantage may not be flexibility or cost. It’s relationships. Whether that scales in an increasingly transactional market is the bigger question.
IHG to Create Another Soft Brand as Its Pipeline Shows ‘Strongest Ever Performance’
IHG’s decision to debut its new soft brand outside of the Americas says a lot about its strategic thinking.
Wyndham Debuts a Paid Loyalty Plan: $95 a Year for Discounts and Higher Status
Wyndham is monetizing the very concept of being a repeat hotel guest, while providing discounts on bookings with other travel suppliers. Expect the industry to watch this move closely.
Mandarin Oriental to Go Private in Deal Valued at $4.2 Billion
Mandarin Oriental is being taken private by its majority shareholder as part of a broader reset. The company is cutting real estate, revamping its brand, and aiming to scale more quickly.
Premier Inn Hit by Flat UK Demand, Cuts Outlook for Germany
Whitbread’s push for efficiency is easing the hit from weaker demand, but not enough to stop profits from slipping.
Meliá to Manage Lionel Messi’s Boutique Hotels
For football icon Lionel Messi, the partnership allows his hotel brand to scale without the burden of direct management. For Meliá, there's a potential to turn athlete branding into long-term global growth.
Numa Launches Premium Hotel Brand for Europe’s Cities
Numa specializes in a stripped-down model of apartment-style hotels. That may work in the mid-market. But as it moves upscale with its new brand, Native by Numa, can it appeal to premium guests who may expect more?
Wyndham’s Global Playbook: Core Markets Plus Bets on ‘The Next Big Thing’
Wyndham's got a side hustle in what you might call frontier markets. While rivals crowd familiar ground, it's planting flags in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and chasing gaps in branded residential.