Articles tagged “starwood”

The former CEO of Starwood says the hospitality sector hasn't yet reached its potential when it comes to sophisticated personalization and quick problem solving.

Read on for our takes on all 13 of Hilton's brands.

We knew this was coming, but it's still tough to take the news in. What will be interesting to continue watching is how and when Marriott eventually moves to its new HQ building in Maryland, and how many Starwood employees will want to transfer to Maryland from Connecticut.

Our storytelling ambitions at Skift are growing bigger, and this year we've leaned into these big editorial projects in a big way. The key animating function for us is understanding the big picture around travel that you otherwise won't read in other travel or mainstream media. Expect deeper reporting from us over the coming year as well.

Travel brands want to think they have a clear view of where competition is coming from, but it often takes distance to understand the true threats.

Marriott and Starwood now allow members who use a co-branded credit card to earn bonus points when booking on the other carrier's hotels. It's a small perk, but it should be added incentive to booking within the network before wandering off to a third-party carrier.

Marriott's CEO was just coming off one of the bigger wins in his career. The future holds some of the bigger challenges.

If Wyndham had succeeded in luring away SPG members who aren't necessarily elite or top-tier-level members, that would have been a big win for the company, whose portfolio skews more toward economy and midscale brands. But alas, this promotion was proof that even the best-laid plans may not always work--and it pays to pay more attention to how you set it all up.

Here's the former Starwood CEO's take on what's happening in the hospitality industry now, and why brands need to work harder than ever to be more agile and flexible in dealing with disruption. Oh, and he thinks the Marriott-Starwood deal could have been better for shareholders and employees.

Arne Sorenson certainly had a lot to share at this year's Skift Global Forum. Read on for some insight into the company's unconventional decision to link Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest, as well as how he really feels about Airbnb and direct bookings.