Boutique Design - May 2015 - 8

EditEd by Mat thEw hall

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is a pioneer in the
"soft brand" movement, with the 1994 rollout of its
Luxury Collection of historic, high-profile hotels.
Now, the hotelier is launching a second collection,
the Tribute Portfolio, which will consist of fourstar, upper upscale independent properties.
The first Tribute locale, the Royal Palm South
Beach Miami, will soon be joined by four other
properties in the southeastern U.S. Starwood
executives say their goal is to grow Tribute to
100 hotels and resorts during the next five years,
with a focus on high-profile destinations in North
America and Europe.
"We believe Tribute Portfolio will be an exciting
solution for hotel owners of distinct properties who
wish to maintain their independent spirit, yet benefit
from Starwood's powerful distribution, loyalty and
sales platforms," says Adam Aron, Starwood's interim
ceo. (Aron assumed that title when Frits van Paasschen exited the hotel company in February. That
change at the top may have signaled the start of even
more upheaval at the hotelier. As this issue went to
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boutiquedesign.com may 2015

press, Starwood's board disclosed it had hired investment bank Lazard to explore strategic and financial
alternatives to increase shareholder value, including
a possible sale of the company.)
The Tribute Portfolio's debut property on Collins
Avenue has been recently restored by Lauren Rottet
of Rottet Studio as a modern homage to the hotel's
rich history, project participants say. That 393-key
hotel, which dates back to 1939, was recently
acquired by Chesapeake Lodging Trust and is
managed by HEI Hotels & Resorts.
Starwood says the other inaugural members of
Tribute Portfolio will include the Vandre Nouveau
Hotel, which will open in 2017 in the former BB&T
Bank building in Asheville, N.C. That property is
a partnership between McKibbon Hotel Group
and Tower Associates and will feature 150 guest
rooms and suites, a restaurant, lobby bar and
meeting/event space.
In addition, Starwood says it is working with
private equity firm Rockbridge to add three more
Tribute properties:

* The historic Noel Place Hotel, located in the
Printers Alley area of downtown Nashville, Tenn.,
will undergo a comprehensive renovation and
house 166 guest rooms and suites, a restaurant,
rooftop bar and speakeasy. That work is slated for
completion next year.
* A new-build, 173-key hotel in Savannah, Ga., (shown)
that will open next year on River Street in the city's
Historic District and include an 11,000-sq.-ft. indoor/
outdoor rooftop bar, outdoor pool and restaurant.
* A 100-key hotel in the Historic District of
Charleston, S.C., that will also feature a rooftop
pool and bar, restaurant and 11,000-sq.-ft. of indoor/
outdoor event space when it opens in 2017.
"Nearly 50 percent of upper upscale hotels in
the U.S. are independent, and likewise, 60 percent
of four-star hotels globally are not affiliated with
a brand flag," says Dave Marr, Starwood's senior
vice president of brand management, North
America, and global brand leader for Tribute
Portfolio. "This provides Starwood with a vast
landscape to grow Tribute Portfolio."

C O U R T E S Y O F S TA R W O O D H O T E L S & R E S O R T S

STaRWOOD HOTELS STaRTS SECOND COLLECTION

http://www.boutiquedesign.com

Boutique Design - May 2015

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