And unlike similar branded collections offered by rivals—Starwood's Luxury Collection and Hilton's Waldorf Astoria Collection among the most prominent—Marriott's Autograph promises to be more inclusive about the types of properties it will welcome into the fold. Autograph properties will include upper-upscale and luxury independent hotels "with distinctive personalities" in gateway cities and destinations worldwide.
Autograph Collection member hotels will be grouped into one of six categories:
Urban Edge—Forward-leaning major-market lifestyle properties
Boutique Arts—Hotels with a core competency surround art
Exotic Retreats—High-end hunting lodges
Resorts
Gaming
Iconic/Historic—Likely to be the largest of the categories, for hotels with exceptional independent branding
The categorization process is meant to deliver a sort of brand promise to consumers, in lieu of actual branding, says Don Semmler, executive vice president of brand management for Marriott International. "Each hotel will be highly unique and distinct with its own identity, appealing to a growing segment of our customers who are looking for an experience that an independent hotel can deliver," Semmler says.
Marriott's goal is to have about 25 Autograph hotels by the end of next year. At least 26 hotels are already under consideration to join the nascent collection, and another 20 hotels in India are reportedly interested as well, Semmler says. The first deals could be announced as soon as December, he says.
Click here to see the original article or to know more>