Business travellers accustomed to staying at many Marriott hotels in the UK will soon see a major change with the transfer of these establishments to another brand of the American group Delta Hotels. Between next October and the end of summer 2023, a phase of renovation and rebranding will begin, at the end of which 23 ex-Marriott will display this Canadian flag, acquired by Marriott in 2015. This represents more than half of the 43 Marriott hotels currently operating in the UK. Among the establishments concerned (see list below) are the Marriott hotels in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Northampton and Newcastle, as well as the hotel at Manchester airport.
Even before this waltz of signs began, the Delta brand was already established in the UK in secondary and tertiary destinations such as Nottingham and Milton Keynes, as well as Cheshunt, Telford and Warwick. The UK is Delta's largest international market today, providing a base for these new developments and the brand's expansion outside North America.
Of the 37 Canadian establishments originally acquired by Marriott when it bought Delta, the group has since opened some forty hotels in the United StatesThis brings the total number of Delta hotels in North America to 86. By comparison, only around twenty hotels are currently present outside the Atlantic, including 10 in Europe - 6 in the UK, 2 in Germany, in Leverkusen and Frankfurt, and 2 in Istanbul. The brand is also present in the heart of Doha and Dubai, as well as in three Chinese cities, Shanghai, Kunming and Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan.
Other developments expected in Europe
With its top-of-the-range, functional offering - the brand's motto being 'Simple Made Perfect' - it's all about perfection through simplicity, Delta targets business travellers in particular looking for a contemporary and efficient hotel. Its key features include flexibly designed rooms, free Wi-Fi, a takeaway service called Delta Pantry and a range of catering options.
In a way, the positioning of Delta Hotels is similar to that of DoubleTree by Hilton, both upmarket but inferior to the flagship brand. Whereas DoubleTree by Hilton is expanding in EuropeIs Marriott counting on Delta to occupy this buoyant mid-market segment? This is undoubtedly one of the objectives of this extensive rebranding. As Delta prepares to enter major British cities, its development should continue in the UK, and even extend to the whole of Europe. " We expect the Delta brand to become a strong brand in the UK and Europe, with an increasing number of new and refurbished hotels coming to the region." said the American group.
