Marriott International's European presence to double following Starwood merger

Marriott International is expecting to double the size of its hotel estate in Europe following the completion of its merger with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. 

The US-based hotel company is expecting to have 123,000 opened or signed rooms in Europe by the middle of the year when its 61,000 open rooms join with Starwood’s 40,500 open rooms and the combined pipeline of 21,500 rooms.

Planned activity in the UK includes the opening of two AC Hotels in the UK - in Manchester and Birmingham in May, five new Moxy hotels and a Courtyard Hotel opening in Edinburgh. Across the rest of Europe there are plans for four hotels under Marriott's Autograph Collection, including two in Germany, five new Marriott Hotels in Germany, Belarus, Macedonia and Russia and a Renaissance property in Paris. 

Major renovations of The London Marriott Hotel County Hall and Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel in London are also expected to be completed this year. 

Amy McPherson, president and managing director, Marriott International, Europe, said: “It’s been an extraordinary time for Marriott.  We signed over 10,000 new rooms in 2015 for the first time in our history, doubling in size since 2010.  Added to this unprecedented growth was the announcement of our Starwood acquisition which is expected to close in mid-2016.  Our momentum is incredible.”

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Marriott International will create the world's largest hotel company, seeing 30 hotel brands come under one umbrella when the $12.2bn deal completes this year.