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In August 2023, I wrote about Marriott completing the acquisition of City Express. The Latin-American hotel chain has 150 hotels in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica. The portfolio consists of five brands, including: City Express, City Express Plus, City Express Suites, City Express Junior, and City Centro. In October, Marriott announced that it is bringing this brand to the United States and Canada. This expansion marks the hotelier’s entry into the affordable midscale transient segment in the region and today Marriott announced that the first location is now open in Duluth, GA.
Previously referred to as Project Mid-T by Marriott, this brand expansion is part of the company’s continued focus on strengthening its presence in the affordable midscale segment and being able to offer lodging options at every budget level. The City Express by Marriott brand is designed to be conversion-friendly and this will also mean that hotel owners will not need to invest as much or be held to strict brand standards. City Express by Marriott will also give owners the opportunity to take advantage of Marriott’s powerful sales, distribution, and marketing engines.
City Express by Marriott is meant to appeal to both business and leisure travelers. Each property offers plush beds, high-speed internet access, and a complimentary breakfast. Guests will also have access to 24-hour markets, pet-friendly spaces, and on-site fitness facilities. The City Express by Marriott Duluth is located 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta. The 83-room hotel offers guests easy access to the city from a relaxed, well-connected location, complete with its own dining scene, nearby parks, trails, and lakefront areas for outdoor recreation.
Marriott plans to open several more City Express by Marriott locations this year. These include:
- City Express by Marriott New Orleans Northeast
- City Express by Marriott Chicago Downtown
- City Express by Marriott Orlando International Drive
- City Express by Marriott Port Hope (Ontario, Canada)
Noah Silverman, Global Development Officer, US and Canada at Marriott, said:
The introduction of City Express by Marriott properties in the U.S. represents a pivotal moment for Marriott International as we continue to expand our footprint in the midscale segment. The value proposition that this conversion-friendly, transient midscale brand brings both to owners and guests has turned City Express by Marriott into a powerhouse in the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA) region, and we are thrilled to deliver this same combination of value to the U.S. and Canada.”
The biggest drawback of this brand might be its earnings and benefits in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. Like all other properties, guests will have the ability to earn and redeem miles. City Express by Marriott hotels will earn 5x points per $1 spent and one night towards elite status for every two stayed. This is essentially half of what members earn at other Marriott brands and an unfortunate way to disincentivize guests.
Anthony’s Take: While it’s great to have more available rooms and the additions will fill some gaps for Marriott, the earning structure and lack of firm brand standards will likely keep me away.
(Image Credits: Marriott.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
