Boutique Design - January/February 2016 - 8

A MAJOR MERGER (AND MORE)
IF ALL GOES according to plan, Marriott Intl.

and Starwood Hotels & Resorts will become one
by the middle of this year. Assuming their shareholders OK the $12.2 billion deal, the two hoteliers will join forces to create the world's largest
hotel company (as gauged by number of accommodations), with 1.1 million rooms in more than
5,500 hotels operating under 30 brands.
In this era of new hotel flags being born
seemingly every day, the consummation of the
Starwood/Marriott merger could also mean the
opposite: the deletion or merging of certain overlapping or redundant brands. Speculation is rife
over which nameplates might get axed or morph
in some fashion, though the companies' execs
have been mainly mum on the matter.
Among the more intriguing possibilities I've
read about: merging the two companies' flags
that both include the 23rd letter in the alphabet:
Starwood's W Hotels with Marriott's JW Marriott;
and converting Starwood's Sheraton brand to
Delta Hotels & Resorts, a Canadian brand that
Marriott acquired last year.
Just how the merger plays out is one of the
big stories we'll be following in the coming
year and beyond, as it will impact the kinds of
commissions available to interior designers from
one of the industry's major players. In the meantime, we've given a forward spin to much of this
issue. That includes contributing editor Oriana
Lerner's two features: "Louder Than Life," (page
18), a look at three projects offering a primer on
creating memorable, in-your-face environments;
and "Flip It" (page 38), which details how Rockwell Group and Sordo Madelano Arquitectos
created a Mexican resort that makes the site
itself the star of the show.

For an even longer-range look at where hotel
design could be headed, check out my blog on
BoutiqueDesign.com on the predictions by the
designers at Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) on
what the next half-century might hold for hospitality interiors. Among their more intriguing
possibilities: hotels that offer virtual lovemaking and dreams as on-site amenities, and the
opening of a seven-star hotel on Mars.
One final note: we're kicking off 2016 with a
new look for our final editorial page. In keeping
with our central mission of covering the people
behind the creation of cutting edge hospitality
spaces, that spot is now dubbed "Exit Interview," and will consist of mini Q+As with a
wide array of players: product designers, street
artists, lighting specialists, interior designers,
architects, landscape architects, fashion
designers and more.
BD associate editor Christina Green kickstarts this new department with a wallop on
page 72 by connecting with Joaquin "Jason"
Hailey, aka Chor Boogie, a famed aerosol artist
(and upcoming leader of a "Teachable Moments"
session at our next BDwest show, which will
take place March 31-April 1 at the Los Angeles
Convention Center). For a more detailed look at
what all is in store at the next BDwest, be sure to
check out our March issue.

EDITORIAL
Executive Editor
Mary Scoviak
mary.scoviak@stmediagroup.com
Editor
Matthew Hall
matthew.hall@stmediagroup.com
Art Director
Kelly Farrar
kelly.farrar@stmediagroup.com
Associate Editor
Christina Green
christina.green@stmediagroup.com
Contributing Editor
Oriana Lerner
oriana.lerner@stmediagroup.com

SALES
Associate Publisher/
Business Development Manager,
Midwest/West
Melani Beattie
melani.beattie@stmediagroup.com
(312) 218-5691
Business Development Manager,
Northeast
Michael Schneider
michael.schneider@stmediagroup.com
(212) 404-6936
Business Development Manager,
Southeast
Scott Rickles
scott.rickles@stmediagroup.com
(770) 664-4567

CORPORATE
President
Tedd Swormstedt
Senior VP Hospitality,
Publisher, Boutique Design
Michelle Finn
michelle.finn@stmediagroup
(312) 961-2772
Audience Development Director
Christine Baloga
Book Division Director
Mark Kissling
Production Coordinator
Linda Volz
Reprint Information
(717) 632-3535, ext. 8265

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