 "Marriott to buy Starwood Hotels in $12.2-bn deal")
Marriott International, Inc. will launch its popular design-focused AC Hotels by Marriott brand in India this year.
“We are identifying the place and the project will come up in any metro cities in India,” Neeraj Govil, Marriott International Inc’s Market Vice President for South Asia, told Business Standard.
The AC Hotels brand will be one of the seven brands that the company had planned to launch in India this year, he said, adding that 2016 will be a busy year as the company will concentrate on increasing the brand portfolio.
AC Hotels by Marriott was launched in 2011 as a joint venture between Marriott International and Spanish group AC Hotels, which was founded in 1998 by Antonio Catalán. Today, AC Hotels by Marriott has a portfolio of 79 hotels in Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, encompassing nearly 9,000 rooms. The brand inspired by the runways and fashion houses of Milan, features simple, clean and crisp lines, marrying sophisticated European style with approachable design for a distinctly urban feel. Each hotel reflects the uniqueness and character of its location.
Govil said the design-led hotel slated to open in India would solidify its position as a leader in the boutique-lifestyle hotel sector catering to the creativity and passions of travelers with a millennial mindset. AC Hotels by Marriott has extremely high brand recognition in Spain and is among the 50 best valued brands within that market. There are currently five AC Hotels by Marriott in the company’s global development pipeline.
The company opened its Courtyard by Marriott in Raipur, the 14th property for the brand in India. Govil said five more properties of the company would be opened in the current financial year in the country.
