Marriott International plots 100 more hotels amid conversion boom

Marriott International plans to add nearly 100 properties and over 12,000 rooms to its European portfolio by the end of 2026.

The Maryland-based company revealed plans to lean heavily into hotel conversions and adaptive reuse projects in order to meet its target.

Marriott operates 800 properties within Europe, and has nearly 150,000 rooms across 25 brands in 47 countries and territories.

The UK was mentioned among Italy, Spain and Türkiye as a place that is “seeing momentum for hotel conversions”, particularly within Marriott’s Moxy Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and Residence Inn by Marriott brands, which represent more than a quarter of the company’s anticipated adaptive reuse projects.

The Tribute Portfolio and Autograph Collection make up over a fifth of the expected additions across Europe, while Marriott’s luxury brands form over 10% of the conversion pipeline.

The uptick in conversions comes after the launch of Marriott’s new midscale brand, Four Points Express by Sheraton, in October last year.

Four Points Express by Sheraton is currently slated to add five properties across the UK and Türkiye by the end of next year in response to growing consumer demand for “reliable yet affordable accommodation”, the group said.

Satya Anand, president, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Marriott International, said: “We continue to see meaningful growth across Europe through conversion and adaptive reuse opportunities, reinforcing the confidence our owners and franchisees have in Marriott International as they look to reposition assets and maximise returns.

“Conversions with Marriott offer owners and franchisees the opportunity to leverage our well-established brands, competitive affiliation costs, the company’s powerful revenue generation engines and Marriott Bonvoy – our award-winning travel programme with more than 200 million members.”

Jerome Briet, chief development officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Marriott International, added: “We are seeing significant interest from independent hoteliers, developers and investors looking to leverage the efficiencies and advantages of renovating and rebranding existing hotels and properties.

“Adding an existing property to our portfolio provides access to Marriott Bonvoy, our well-established loyalty programme, our sales and marketing platforms and our global customer base. This in turn gives Marriott the opportunity to further expand the breadth of our brand portfolio for our guests and members.”