Marriott’s Autograph brand to debut in Europe

Marriott is to rebrand four hotels in Spain under its Autograph offering, as part of the group’s joint venture with AC Hotels. Marriott announced the partnership with AC Hotels last year (see online news October 11, 2010), under which 86 hotels across Spain, Italy and Portugal are to rebranded as AC by Marriott properties. To this portfolio Marriott is now adding four further AC Hotels, to be rebranded as Autograph properties by this May, namely the AC Santa Mauro and AC Palacio del Retiro in Madrid, the AC Palacio de Santa Paula in Granada, and the AC Baqueria Hotel and Spa in Baqueria. Marriott describes its Autograph properties as being a collection of “distinct, independent hotels and resorts representing upper-upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities”. To this end AC Santa Mauro occupies a late nineteenth-century building located close to the Paseo Recoletos, while AC Palacio del Retiro is housed within a building which “preserves the original mouldings, woodwork and stained-glass windows of the original noble residence”. AC Palacio de Santa Paula is located within three combined buildings in Granada, formerly housing a convent, Moorish house and Spanish noble house, and finally AC Baqueria Hotel and Spa is situated in the Baqueria-Beret ski station in the Pyrenees. With this latest announcement the Autograph portfolio rises to 14 properties across the US and Spain, with “close to 40” expected to join the group by the end of 2011. For more information visit marriott.com. Report by Mark Caswell