Marriott Now Has Eight Luxury Brands and 9 Other Hospitality Trends This Week

Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines hospitality.

For all of our weekend roundups, go here.

>>Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest members have another reason to stick around to see the merged product: Marriott and Starwood Launch Promotions Aimed at Retaining Elite Ranks

>>Marriott is promoting the fact that its eight luxury brands answer to the demands from different segments of luxury travelers, but it needs to make sure consumers understand what makes each brand unique: Marriott Now Has 8 Luxury Hotel Brands It Needs to Somehow Define Individually

>>As a private company Airbnb isn’t required to publicly disclose much when it comes to its finances. What is clear from analysing the accounts of Airbnb Payments UK Ltd., however, is just how much money is swilling about the company: Airbnb Is Flush With the Money It’s Making Outside the United States

>>Prices now are certainly high, especially if you want to book a stay on Airbnb. Whether or not consumers pay an exorbitant rate to stay at someone else’s apartment is another matter. Because as the president-elect’s campaign song told us, you can’t always get what you want: Hotel and Airbnb Prices for Trump Inauguration See Big Jumps and Some Deals

>>Hilton’s MO? We’re doing just fine — but it couldn’t hurt to add a few more brands, either: Hilton Is Pretty Sure It Needs Five More Hotel Brands to Better Compete

>>Because the rewards are so big, luxury is always a noisy sector. Accor is smart to give the group its own CEO while it continues to acquire companies and focus on integration: Accor’s New CEO for Luxury Hotels Wants to Protect Brand Integrity in a Crowded Field

>>We spoke to hoteliers from Viceroy, The Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt, Brandmark Collective, and Pendry Hotels to gain a better perspective into where the luxury hospitality market is headed: The Biggest Challenges and Opportunities for Luxury Hotels in 2017, Explained

>>The new Dhawa brand brings a fresh face to Cuba’s hospitality sector, but is it compelling enough to attract a lot of U.S. visitors to a remote region of the country? Banyan Tree Moves Into Cuba With Four Hotels Including New Dhawa Brand

>>We can appreciate Conrad’s desire to be innovative in its approach to content marketing, but we question whether these attempts have any actual staying power: Conrad Hotels Transforms Instagram and Virtual Reality Into Travel Guides

>>Will other hotels or more established travel companies follow suit? Alain Ducasse’s Châteaux & Hôtels Collection Partners With Airbnb on Trips and Rooms