SH Hotels Executive Discusses Upcoming Rebrand to Iconic Starwood Name

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 7:15 PM ET, Wed January 29, 2025

SH Hotels & Resorts has revealed that it will rebrand its company name, in a move that returns the company to its iconic roots.

The global luxury hotel company is preparing to revive the Starwood name that launched the much-loved hotel brand more than 30 years ago when founded by Barry Sternlicht.

The move is part of a broader growth strategy for the hotel company, according to Raul Leal, CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts, who spoke with Northstar Travel Group’s Kenneth Shapiro, vice president and editorial director for TravelAge West, TravelPulse and TravelPulse Canada.

“Barry had the rights to take back the name. So, he decided to do it about a year ago quietly,” Leal explained during a one-on-one interview with Shapiro. “Given the growth we have coming, it was probably the right time to do it."

“We think it will certainly provide incremental growth in brand equity,” Leal added.

Nearly a decade ago, Starwood Hotels and Resorts was purchased by global hotel giant Marriott International for $13 billion. The acquisition resulted in Marriott becoming the world’s largest hotel chain. Subsequently, the Starwood brand name was replaced with SH Hotels & Resorts.

Last year, Sternlicht exercised his rights to recover the name and as of February 2025, SH Hotels & Resorts will be known as Starwood Hotels. The rebranded Starwood Hotels will have a combined 40 hotels open and in its pipeline.

The decision to resurrect the Starwood name was not part of any focus group research that indicated such a move would be beneficial.

Rather, Leal said, it was an internal decision, to which Leal added: “Some thought went into it regarding the strategy we will have moving ahead. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be exactly the same as [Starwood] was in the beginning. But it will certainly be thoughtful and will [emphasize] quality over quantity."

New Starwood Hotels on the Horizon

The thought process behind the company's name change isn't the only news that came out of Leal’s interview with Shapiro. The CEO also shared his excitement about the many new properties SH Hotels has in the pipeline for 2025.

The company, whose portfolio includes 1 Hotels & Homes; Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, and also Treehouse Hotels, will be introducing new properties across the globe this year.
Here are the highlights:

1 Hotel Seattle, coming in Spring 2025: Drawing inspiration from the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty, the 153-room property will feature immersive designs and reclaimed materials that celebrate the region’s unique heritage.
1 Hotel & Homes Melbourne, coming mid-2025: Situated in an iconic structure along the Yarra River, this waterfront property will include 277 guest rooms, 114 residences, and a wellness center focused on holistic rejuvenation.
1 Hotel Copenhagen, coming summer 2025: Opening in the heart of Denmark’s capital this 288-key property will align with Copenhagen’s ambitious carbon-neutral goals via cutting-edge energy efficiency and green architecture.
1 Hotel Tokyo, coming fall 2025: Marking the brand’s debut in Asia, this property in the heart of Tokyo will blend nature-inspired design, environmental innovation, and Japan’s rich cultural heritage.
Treehouse Manchester, coming spring 2025: This transformed 14-story property is set to include fun communal spaces, imaginative design elements, and locally inspired programming that celebrates Manchester’s diverse culture.
Treehouse Silicon Valley, coming spring 2025: Located in Sunnyvale—the heart of innovation—this 254-key property will feature locally inspired fun amenities, thoughtful programming, several food and beverage offerings, and dynamic spaces for social and business gatherings.

Further down the road, the Baccarat Hotels & Residences brand will be expanding into various iconic destinations including Rome, Florence, Brickell (Miami), Riyadh, Dubai, and the Maldives.

For those who may not be familiar with these three brands, their offerings and their distinctions, Leal described 1 Hotel as the SH Hotels & Resorts’ “main brand.”

“It’s a mission-driven brand that was created by Barry,” explained Leal. “At the core of the whole thing it is driving attention to sustainability through design.”

That effort includes such things as using local, natural materials; reduced carbon emissions and more, Leal said.

“It’s an interesting brand that’s not only about people, planet, and sustainability, but also lots of choices for the consumer if you stay at the hotel,” continued Leal, highlighting the variety of food and beverage programs available at 1 Hotels, as well as the brand’s diverse wellness offerings.

Treehouse properties, on the other hand, are designed to be more playful and nostalgic.

“Treehouse is eclectic design,” said Leal. “Barry sees this as a place that should bring back your childhood memories where you can just be yourself and enjoy all the modern amenities. Totally different design than you would see in a 1 Hotel…A little more playful, different environment. Highly activated with food and beverage as well. They cater to a different generation.”

Finally, there’s only one Baccarat hotel in the company’s portfolio at the moment, located in New York City. But there are about seven in the works for the coming years, said Leal.

Baccarat is a five-star-plus hotel that’s continually voted one of the best hotels in the world. The property was created in affiliation with the Baccarat fine crystal company.

But much like 1 Hotels and Treehouse, Baccarat features SH Hotels’ unique imprint.

"We are positioning Baccarat, as well, to also maybe be not so serious a luxury brand,” Leal said. “We are hearing from younger customers who would like to make sure we continue to do activations and that the hotel continues to do things of interest.”

"So we have three great brands that cater to different generations of like minded individuals,” said Leal.

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