What do you do when you sell your hotel group for a little north of $13.6 billion? The average person would retire. But not Barry Sternlicht. Instead, he went on to build another hotel portfolio, which includes the Baccarat. Now, he’s bringing Starwood Hotels back for a show-stopping second act.
What is happening?
Starwood Hotels and Resorts was sold to Marriott in 2016. But Barry Sternlicht didn’t hang up his hospitality hat after leaving Starwood. Now, Barry Sternlicht is reviving the Starwood brand under his current company, SH Hotels and Resorts, which was rebranded as Starwood Hotels starting this month. The new Starwood Hotels will initially include 14 hotels across three brands: 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels. But it won’t stop there. The expansion plans are just as ambitious as this new undertaking: Sternlicht has plans to expand the new Starwood portfolio to 22 hotels by 2028. And in classic Sternlicht style, these luxury properties will be everywhere — Austin, Seattle, Crete (Greece), the Maldives, Miami, and Manchester to name a few.
Starwood Hotels revolutionized the hotel industry in the 90s. Under Barry Sternlicht’s innovative eye and customer-focused strategy, Starwood consisted of 11 brands across 100 countries. W Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, and Westin Hotels were just a few of the brands within the Starwood Hotels empire. But it wasn’t just these names that made the company shine. Starwood seriously took the saying “the customer is always right” to the next level, priding itself on excellent service, luxury experiences, and customer satisfaction. Its Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program quickly became famous for its perks, like suite upgrades and guaranteed late checkouts. Travel goals.
1 Hotels
1 Hotels is the green goddess of Starwood Hotels. With a focus on sustainability and honoring mother nature, 1 Hotels can make even the busiest cities on earth feel like a calming oasis. Each property is accented with sleek wooden furniture, adorned with lush green foliage, and serves delicious meals made from locally grown ingredients. 1 Hotels currently has locations in 11 cities around the world, and has new properties “sprouting soon” in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, San Miguel de Allende, Copenhagen, Paris, Crete, Diriyah, Tokyo, and Melbourne.
Baccarat Hotels
The focus with Baccarat is nothing but luxury. That’s New York’s Baccarat Hotel. Inspired by the famed crystal-maker, this five-star hotel certainly lives up to its namesake. Everywhere you turn, the palatial hotel is dripping in crystals and glittering with rainbow reflections of light. At The Baccarat, diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend. They’re everyone’s. Right now, Baccarat Hotels only has its New York location, but is working on opening its diamond doors in Diriyah, Dubai, The Maldives, Florence, and Rome.
Treehouse Hotels
Treehouse Hotels is a nostalgic, whimsical experience. The delightfully quirky decor can bring out anyone’s inner child. Billed as a place for “carefree good times,” Treehouse Hotels highlight found objects and handmade details to recreate the adventurous spirit of childhood for the whole family. Treehouse Hotels began with their London location, and will open the doors to its Manchester location on March 19, 2025. There are also plans to bring Treehouse Hotels to Silicon Valley, CA, Brickell, FL, Adelaide, and Diriyah in the near future.
FAQs:
Q: How many new properties are Starwood planning to open?
A: Starwood is planning to open 22 new properties by 2028.
Q: When is 1 Hotel Diriyah expected to open?
A: 1 Hotel Diriyah is expected to open in 2027.
Q: Are Treehouse Hotels pet-friendly?
A: Yes, Treehouse Hotels are pet-friendly and even offer special packages that include dog treats, dog-walking, and a canine concierge.
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