Since the Marriott and Starwood merger, Marriott has developed a problem. They can’t seem to keep their owners from changing the flags to another brand or selling the hotel. It is fairly normal for hotel chains to have hotels come and go but since the merger, the number of hotels leaving Marriott has been significantly greater than the number of top-tier hotels changing flags to Marriott.
Dubai
In July of this year, the St. Regis Dubai, St. Regis Dubai Polo Club, W Dubai Habtoor City, and the Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City all decided to drop from the Marriott brand. That represented over 2000 rooms, approximately 33% of the available Marriott rooms in the Dubai at the time. Marriott has since opened up some new hotels in the area (W Duabi – The Palm and The St.Regis – The Palm). They were newly built with different ownership not changes in existing flags.
St.Regis Princeville
It was reported back in August that the St.Regis Princeville would be leaving the brand. The hotel will officially leave the group on November 16, 2018. Until November 15, points redemption bookings are still available but after that the hotel is not accepting any new ones. If you currently have a reservation booked you should have received an email and your reservation should be honored. Marriott benefits will not apply past November 15.
It is rumored that the hotel will undergo an $80 million dollar renovation and will rebrand as a part of the 1 Hotels brand. The supposed buyer for the property is Starwood Capitol, whose CEO was the founder of SPG.
Le Meridien Tahiti
On October 16 of this year Le Meridien Tahiti became a Sofitel. They alerted people with reservations with just 4 days before the change was effective. I suppose this helps with people rushing to redeem points or book cash reservations before the changeover. It seems to be a common theme for Marriott to not provide customers fair notice. Guests who have already booked to stay at the property will have their reservations honored. Customers holding reservations should have received an email similar to this:
“As a valued Marriott Rewards member, we are writing to inform you of a change in the status of Le Meridien Tahiti. Since October 16, 2018, the property is no longer part of Marriott International or Le Meridien brand and no longer participate in the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program. We see you are currently holding a reservation, arriving on xxx 2019 and departing on xxx 2019. We are pleased to inform you that the hotel will honor your reservation for a Preferred (free) Night Award, including Cash and Points, as your stay was originally confirmed. However, since the hotel will no longer be affiliated with the Starwood system, you will not earn Starpoints for any eligible charges incurred, nor will you receive any of your Starwood Preferred Guest membership amenities or benefits. We realize this may be disappointing but hope we can count on your understanding.”
If your reservation will not be honored or was cancelled, let me know as it looks like all reservations should have gotten a similar message.
Will More Hotels Drop The Marriott Flag?
There aren’t any additional hotels that I know are dropping their flag right now, but as we saw with Le Meridien Tahiti, it can happen in an instant. As you can see in the chart below the only properties Marriott seems to be losing are those requiring the highest point values and in unique areas where the hotel thinks it can do better without Marriott.
| Hotel | Category | Point Value Per Night |
| The St.Regis Dubai | Old 7, Likely New 8 | est. 85,000 |
| The St. Regis Dubai Polo Club | Old 6, Likely New 7 | est. 60,000 |
| W Dubai Al Habtoor City | Old 6, Likely New 7 | est. 60,000 |
| The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City | New 4 | 25,000 |
| St. Regis Princeville | New 8 | 85,000 |
| Le Meriden Tahiti | New 5 | 35,000 |
Most normal hotel flag contracts come in the form of 10 or 20 year agreements. All of the hotels that have dropped Marriott have come from legacy Starwood properties. I would not be surprised if SPG properties had a way out of their contracts due to the merger, and that is why we are seeing the increase.
The most disappointing loss is probably Le Meridien Tahiti, not because it is an amazing property but because it was the only SPG hotel in Tahiti. It was a good place to stop over on your way to Bora Bora. We did reach out to Marriott about the changes in flags but at the time this article published we have not received any comment back.
Hey! exactly the W Dubai Habtoor City, and the Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City all decided to drop from the Marriott brand.
Starwood top properties are not really well represented as part of Marriott. Ritz Carlton doesn’t hold a candle to most St Regis poroperties and even some Luxury hotels in Europe like the Gritti Palace or The Imperial Vienna. St. Regis is more on a par with Four Seasons. I’ve always felt Ritz Carlton were a bit “faux” five star with a systematic lack of generosity and a corporate ethos.. I’ve been so disappointed and confused by this mega merger. Now the same annoying idiosyncratic ways for each of Starwood and Marriott are now rolled into one with no upside. Since the merger, the top Starwood properties are less flexible and less inclined to be generous with individual guests with an impromptu upgrade or unscheduled amenity.
Ritz is very hit or miss. St. Regis consistently makes the mark.
The Le Meriden Saigon also appears to have left, as they are not accepting Rewards bookings either.
I am Lifetime Platinum and was really looking forward to it, as the Sheraton and the Renaissance (the only other two properties in Ho Chi Minh) are disappointments every time.
I got the same cancellation email from the Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort managed by Sofitel. My reservation was for about three weeks from now and other options are not good or are VERY expensive. I am VERY upset about this and am so far getting nowhere with Marriott, Starwood, or the hotel itself.
I received an email today (01/09/2019) from the Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort and they cancelled my reservation. See their email below.
“Since October 15, 2018, the former Méridien Tahiti has been managed by Accorhotels under the name Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort managed by Sofitel.
We are sorry to inform you that we were unable to reach an agreement with the Marriott group to redeem the bookings made with SPG/ Marriott points, cash & points and employee rates. We therefore have no other choice than to cancel the reservation with other arrangements such as transportation, activities, … you made at our hotel.
We will be happy to help you to book again your reservation at Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort managed by Sofitel , please contact us or visit our website at http://www.accorhotels.com, to make your new reservation.”
That is in direct contrast to the email that was shared when they changed hands. I’ll reach out to our contact to see if theres any update. Your email really doesn’t sound good.
I just got the same email from Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort. I’m curious if Marriott will rebook me at another hotel or just refund my points and tell me to figure it out on my own.
You should ask for a move to St.Regis Bora Bora. Who knows maybe they’ll give it to you!
Another five-star hotel is leaving! Hotel Des Indes contract with SPG’s Luxury Collection will be terminated on December 11 🙂
Marriott is going to really start to lose SPG properties when certain hotels franchise agreements come up. At this point Marriott really has dropped the ball. It has been 6 months since the merger and the computer system still does not work. There is no hope in sight and give them a call and they will tell you nothing. Over 800 nights with SPG, lifetime platinum and I have had it. I wish Marriott just left SPG on its own. Oh and that whole data breach keep secret for months…… Starting in 2019 a group of Lifetime Platinum members are going to start to promote a client strike! Please consider joining us and boycott Marriott as a brand. Stay tuned for details.
The Principal Madrid, a Member of Design Hotels™ will be leaving the partnership between Design Hotels and Marriott on November 14, 2018.
Westin Sydney exits Marriott/SPG system on October 18, 2019 to become the Fullerton Hotel Sydney.
The Westin-Vendome will exit also “….with Henderson Park to acquire the Westin Vendome in Paris, which sometime in 2022 will become a Jumeirah”
Wow, a lot more coming unfortunately
We loved this Le Meridien when we spent 3 glorious weeks there in what we thought of as their best suite. At the end of the right wing on the 4th floor. The porch and furniture was spectacular. The entire roof was a massive pool only a foot deep – loaded with Koi fish who were as playful with us as puppies. We overlooked the island-style entertainment that was special & took easy French cooking lessons that are some of our best dishes to this day! Great memories of some of the most wonderful local staff. I could go on – and on. Huge ocean water pool and easy way to de-salienate after a swim in it it the white sand beach just a few yards away. Great food.
We will miss it, especially since we have close to 2M in Rewards. We have loved every Sofitel, so may take this as an excuse to do a Rewards Match…
Not real happy with some of the changes since the “Merge”
I stayed at the Le Meredian Tahiti last November to celebrate our 25th Wedding anniversary and it was only ….so so. At check out my wife and I agreed we would not every come back. On the other hand we went to the St Regis Bora Bora and it was exquisite! I would encourage SPG members to scrimp and safe their points for a truly ‘life altering’ experience in Bora Bora!
The Dubai properties were in the Downtown Dubai” area and all the hotels are pretty much within a stones throw of each other and several excellent Marriott properties including the twin tower Marquis. I think there were just too many large properties within a few feet of each other.
Glad I booked the Le Meriden Tahiti a few weeks before the ownership change. Using 5th night free, it was only 140k Marriott Points. I don’t think I have ever stayed at a Sofitel Hotel, let’s see how it is 🙂
A Sheraton in Roanoke, VA dropped the Marriott brand name. We had reservations and cancelled because we would not get the benefits. I think they too think they can go at it alone as they did not sign up with another name brand chain.
Regarding the Dubai hotel change, I was reliably informed that this was a very mutual parting of the ways, welcomed more by Marriott.
The properties abruptly canceled their contract with Marriott, fair notice was not given to Marriott about the decision.
The fault lies on the property owners not the Marriott brand.
Marriott provides a steady stream of customers perhaps they are banking on the fact that repeat customers will return but not while they are non branded hotels under the Marriott umbrella one could expect a certain level of service and security
At least Marriott honors the reservations. I had an IHG reservation this year at a property that left. They cancelled my reservation, put the points back in account, and told me I was welcome to pay cash to the hotel directly. That was frustrating to say the least.