Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFormer American international hotel group whose brands included Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, W Hotels, Le Méridien and The Luxury Collection; acquired by Marriott International in 2016.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Starwood Hotels and Resorts was an American hospitality company that owned, operated, franchised and managed hotels, resorts, spas, residences and vacation-ownership properties. Although it became widely associated with hotel brands, its corporate origins were in real estate investment. The company was established in 1969 as Hotel Investors Trust, a real estate investment trust created to invest in hotels and take advantage of the tax treatment then available to that type of vehicle. It subsequently operated under the Starwood Lodging name before becoming the broader Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide group. A decisive transformation took place in the 1990s under Barry Sternlicht and Starwood Capital. Starwood acquired the Westin Hotel Company from Japan's Aoki Corporation in 1994 and acquired Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and The Luxury Collection from ITT Sheraton in 1998. These transactions gave Starwood a portfolio spanning upscale, upper-upscale and luxury hospitality rather than a collection of unrelated hotel assets. The company also created or developed distinctive concepts, including W Hotels, a lifestyle-oriented luxury brand launched in the late 1990s, and Aloft, a design-focused brand aimed largely at business and urban travelers. It later added Le Méridien, acquired in 2005, and developed Element, an environmentally oriented hotel concept. Starwood's operating model changed materially during the 2000s. After Sternlicht left the chief executive role, the company sold a number of owned hotels and concentrated more heavily on hotel management, franchising, brand development and loyalty-program economics. Its brand architecture included large global chains such as Sheraton and Westin, luxury and experiential concepts such as St. Regis, W Hotels and The Luxury Collection, and more focused offerings such as Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Element and Tribute Portfolio. Starwood also invested in or supported independent design-led hotels through Design Hotels. The company operated through a mixture of owned, managed and franchised properties. At its height, Starwood reported 11 brands and approximately 1,297 properties with about 370,000 rooms in roughly 100 countries. Its Starwood Preferred Guest program became an important customer-retention and distribution platform, supported by airline relationships and credit-card partnerships, including arrangements with American Express. The program had more than 21 million members according to the cited reference material. Starwood moved its headquarters from White Plains, New York, to Stamford, Connecticut, during the early 2010s. After speculation about a possible combination with InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International announced an agreement to acquire Starwood in November 2015. The transaction, valued at approximately $12.2 billion in the cited reference material, closed in 2016. Starwood ceased to exist as an independent hotel group, while its brands and operating systems were incorporated into Marriott's global portfolio. The former Starwood Preferred Guest program was later combined with Marriott's loyalty program in 2018. Marriott disclosed in 2018 that a security incident had affected a Starwood guest-reservation database, making the legacy company relevant to later privacy and cybersecurity investigations even after the acquisition.
History
Starwood's roots date to 1969, when Hotel Investors Trust was formed as a real estate investment trust. The vehicle was associated with Starwood Capital and initially held hotels across North America under different operating names. It later became known as Starwood Lodging and gradually moved from property ownership toward a branded hospitality platform. The company's portfolio expanded significantly in the 1990s. Starwood acquired the Westin Hotel Company from Aoki Corporation in 1994. In 1995, Barry Sternlicht reorganized the company and became its central strategic leader. In 1998, Starwood acquired the Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and The Luxury Collection brands from ITT Sheraton. These acquisitions provided scale, international recognition and coverage across several hotel segments. Starwood launched W Hotels in 1998, using a more contemporary and lifestyle-oriented identity than conventional luxury chains. During the 2000s, Starwood continued to add differentiated concepts. It announced Aloft in 2005 as a hotel concept related to W Hotels and acquired Le Méridien in the same year. Element was announced in 2006 and was designed around environmentally efficient construction and operations, including energy- and water-saving features. Starwood's strategy increasingly favored managing and franchising hotels rather than retaining every property on its own balance sheet. Sternlicht stepped down as chief executive in 2004 to focus on Starwood Capital and remained on Starwood's board until 2005. Steven J. Heyer succeeded him but left the company in 2007 at the board's request. Bruce Duncan served as interim chief executive before Frits van Paasschen took the position later that year. Van Paasschen resigned in 2015 following a mutual decision with the board, and Thomas B. Mangas became chief executive at the end of that year. Starwood announced in 2009 that it would relocate its headquarters from White Plains to Stamford, Connecticut. The group remained active in brand expansion and partnerships, including a majority investment in Design Hotels and the launch of Tribute Portfolio in 2015. Its Starwood Preferred Guest program connected hotel stays with airline-reward opportunities and credit-card partnerships, helping make loyalty data and direct customer relationships central to the company's model. In 2015, Marriott International agreed to acquire Starwood. The transaction closed in 2016, ending Starwood's existence as an independent corporate hotel group while preserving and integrating many of its brands into Marriott's portfolio. Starwood's legacy loyalty program was subsequently merged with Marriott's program in August 2018. Later that year, Marriott disclosed a cybersecurity incident involving a Starwood guest-reservation database. The incident led to investigations and became one of the most consequential post-acquisition issues associated with the former Starwood platform.
- 2018
SPG is merged into Marriott Bonvoy
[1]The Starwood Preferred Guest program is combined with Marriott's loyalty system.
- 2016
Marriott completes the acquisition
[1]Marriott International acquires Starwood, ending Starwood's independent corporate existence.
- 2015
Tribute Portfolio launches
[1]Starwood launches a collection brand for independent upscale and upper-upscale hotels.
- 2011
Starwood becomes a majority investor in Design Hotels
[1]The company takes a majority investment in the Berlin-based network of independently operated design hotels.
- 2009
Headquarters relocation is announced
[1]Starwood announces a move from White Plains, New York, to Stamford, Connecticut.
- 2006
Element is announced
[1]Starwood announces Element, a hotel concept intended to emphasize environmentally efficient design.
- 2005
Le Méridien joins Starwood
[1]Starwood acquires the Le Méridien brand and adds its art- and design-oriented upper-upscale positioning to the portfolio.
- 1998
Sheraton portfolio joins Starwood
[1]Starwood acquires Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and The Luxury Collection from ITT Sheraton.
- 1998
W Hotels launches
[1]Starwood introduces W Hotels as a luxury lifestyle brand, beginning with W New York.
- 1995
Barry Sternlicht reorganizes the company
[1]Barry Sternlicht becomes the leading executive associated with the company's reorganization and expansion.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Products and positioning
A multi-brand international hospitality group spanning upscale, upper-upscale, luxury, lifestyle, design-led and select-service hotels, with an increasing emphasis on management, franchising, brand licensing and loyalty-program relationships.
Upscale hotels and resorts · 1930
Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin was Starwood's largest upscale hotel and resort brand. Its heritage reaches back to Western Hotels, founded in 1930 and renamed Western International Hotels in 1963. The brand became Westin Hotels in 1981 and was acquired by Starwood in the 1990s. It was positioned around wellness, comfort and full-service upscale accommodation.
Full-service hotels and resorts · 1937
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton was Starwood's flagship broad-scale hotel brand. It originated in 1937 and entered Starwood's portfolio through the 1998 acquisition of ITT Sheraton. The brand covered business hotels, resorts and vacation-ownership properties, giving Starwood a large international distribution network and a strong convention and group-travel presence.
Luxury hotels · 1992
The Luxury Collection
The Luxury Collection gathered distinctive luxury properties, including historic hotels, palaces and culturally significant buildings. Its roots lie in ITT Sheraton's designation of premier hotels and hotel-within-a-hotel facilities in 1992. Starwood later developed it as a separate luxury identity in which individual properties could retain strong local character.
Midscale and select-service hotels · 1995
Four Points by Sheraton
Four Points by Sheraton was introduced in 1995 as a mid-range brand within the Sheraton family. It replaced the Sheraton Inn sub-brand and offered a more streamlined proposition than Starwood's full-service and luxury concepts, targeting practical business and leisure stays.
Luxury lifestyle hotels · 1998
W Hotels
W Hotels was Starwood's signature lifestyle brand, launched with W New York in 1998. It combined luxury accommodation with modern design, informal naming conventions and a younger, more entertainment-oriented atmosphere. The brand used concepts such as the Living Room and a 'Whatever/Whenever' service philosophy to distinguish itself from traditional luxury hotels.
Luxury hotels and resorts · 1998
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
St. Regis was Starwood's principal traditional luxury brand. It drew its identity from the St. Regis New York, opened in 1904, and from the heritage of the former Sheraton luxury division. The brand emphasized highly personalized service, formal luxury and landmark urban and resort properties.
Upper-upscale design hotels · 1972
Le Méridien
Founded by Air France in 1972, Le Méridien was acquired by Starwood in 2005. Starwood positioned it around art, design, culture and destination discovery. Properties were intended to reflect their local settings, and the brand developed collaborations involving museums, galleries and Illy coffee.
Select-service lifestyle hotels · 2005
Aloft Hotels
Aloft began in 2005 as a concept described as a vision of W Hotels. It adapted elements of W's contemporary design and social orientation for a more accessible, urban and business-travel-focused hotel format. The brand generally emphasized technology, communal spaces and modern room design.
Eco-oriented extended-stay hotels · 2008
Element Hotels
Element was announced in 2006 and opened its first hotel in Lexington, Massachusetts, in 2008. It was designed from the outset around environmental efficiency, including energy- and water-saving systems, recycled materials and efficient lighting and plumbing. The concept targeted travelers seeking a contemporary, sustainability-oriented stay.
Independent upscale hotel collection · 2015
Tribute Portfolio
Tribute Portfolio launched in 2015 as a collection of independent upscale and upper-upscale hotels. It allowed distinctive properties to retain individual identities while gaining access to Starwood's distribution and loyalty infrastructure. Marriott later tested vacation rentals under the name before ending the pilot in favor of its Homes & Villas offering.
Hotel loyalty program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Starwood Preferred Guest was Starwood's customer-loyalty program. It supported hotel rewards, airline transfers and cross-company partnerships, including arrangements with numerous airlines and American Express. The program was later merged into Marriott's loyalty ecosystem.
Controversies
2018
Starwood guest-reservation database breach
Marriott disclosed that unauthorized access had affected a Starwood reservation database. The incident concerned the security of guest information held on a legacy Starwood system and led to public and regulatory scrutiny, including an investigation announced by New York's attorney general.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Tribute Portfolio launch
International
Starwood launched a collection model for independent hotels seeking access to a major group's sales, distribution and loyalty systems without adopting a uniform physical identity.
Outcome. The collection expanded before and after the Marriott acquisition.
- 2005Aloft, a Vision of W Hotels
International
Starwood adapted elements of W Hotels into a more accessible brand for urban and business travelers, emphasizing contemporary design and social public spaces.
Outcome. Aloft became a separate global select-service brand.
- 1998W Hotels lifestyle-brand launch
United States
Starwood introduced W Hotels with W New York, using contemporary design, nightlife-adjacent positioning and informal service language to create a recognizable lifestyle-hospitality identity.
Outcome. The concept expanded internationally and became one of Starwood's best-known luxury lifestyle brands.
Brand decisions
2018
Integration of Starwood Preferred GuestStrategyBackground
Following Marriott's acquisition, the two companies consolidated their customer-rewards platforms.
Action taken
Starwood Preferred Guest was merged into Marriott's loyalty program on August 18, 2018.
Aftermath
SPG ceased operating as a separate loyalty program, while its members and benefits were transferred into Marriott's combined system.
2015
Agreement to be acquired by Marriott InternationalM&ABackground
Starwood was evaluating strategic alternatives after years of brand expansion and reported interest from other hotel groups.
Action taken
Starwood agreed to be acquired by Marriott International in a transaction described in the reference material as worth approximately $12.2 billion.
Aftermath
The acquisition closed in 2016, ending Starwood's independent corporate existence and integrating its brands and loyalty assets into Marriott.
Transaction value. (Announced November 2015; completed 2016)
2005
Launch of AloftProduct launchBackground
Starwood wanted a contemporary hotel concept that could use the design language associated with W Hotels while serving a broader business-travel market.
Action taken
It launched Aloft as a related but more accessible urban hotel concept.
Aftermath
Aloft became one of Starwood's continuing select-service brands and was later incorporated into Marriott's portfolio.
2004
Shift toward management and franchisingStrategyBackground
After Barry Sternlicht left the chief executive position, Starwood sought to reduce its exposure to directly owned hotel real estate and concentrate on its brands, management contracts and franchise relationships.
Action taken
The company sold a number of company-owned hotels and emphasized management and franchising for existing and future brands.
Aftermath
The shift made Starwood more dependent on brand scale, owner relationships, distribution and loyalty economics than on direct property ownership.
Recent events
- 2018
Starwood Preferred Guest is merged into Marriott's loyalty program[1]
Other
The Starwood Preferred Guest program was combined with Marriott's loyalty offering after the acquisition and subsequent integration of the two companies.
- 2015
Starwood launches Tribute Portfolio[1]
Product launch
Tribute Portfolio was introduced as a collection of independent upscale and upper-upscale hotels.
- 2015
Marriott International agrees to acquire Starwood[1]
M&A
Marriott announced an agreement to acquire Starwood in a transaction described in the reference material as worth approximately $12.2 billion.
- 2015
Starwood appoints Thomas B. Mangas as chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Thomas B. Mangas became Starwood's chief executive on December 31, 2015, during the period leading to the Marriott transaction.
- 2015
Marriott announces agreement to acquire Starwood[1]
M&A
Marriott International announced an agreement to acquire Starwood in a transaction valued at approximately $12.2 billion, subject to completion conditions.
- 2015
Thomas B. Mangas becomes Starwood chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Thomas B. Mangas became Starwood's chief executive at the end of 2015, shortly before the Marriott transaction was completed.
- 2014
Starwood is reported to have explored an InterContinental Hotels Group takeover[1]
M&A
Reports described a possible Starwood approach to InterContinental Hotels Group, although neither company confirmed or denied the reported bid.
- 2014
Starwood reportedly considers a bid for InterContinental Hotels Group[1]
M&A
Reports said Starwood had explored a possible takeover of InterContinental Hotels Group. The companies did not publicly confirm the reported proposal.
- 2009
Starwood announces headquarters relocation to Stamford[1]
Other
The company announced that it would move its headquarters from White Plains, New York, to Stamford, Connecticut.
- 2005
Starwood announces the Aloft hotel concept[1]
Product launch
The company introduced Aloft as a contemporary, business-oriented concept related to the W Hotels design platform.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources1 sources
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