Barry Sternlicht, the founder of Starwood Hotels, is preparing to reintroduce the iconic brand to the hospitality industry. In 2015, he sold Starwood to Marriott in a $13 billion deal, after transforming it into a global powerhouse. Now, he is set to bring the Starwood name back through a strategic rebranding of his current company, SH Hotels & Resorts, scheduled for February 2025.
The new Starwood will be more streamlined compared to its predecessor, which at its height operated 1,300 properties across 11 brands. Initially, the company will manage 14 hotels under three brands: 1 Hotels, Baccarat, and Treehouse. However, the development plan aims to expand to around 40 hotels worldwide.
As part of this expansion, two luxury properties are planned for Italy: Baccarat Hotel Rome and Baccarat Hotel Florence.