Marriott and Starwood: the 2016 merger that put Le Méridien under Marriott

Marriott International completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide on 23 September 2016, creating a company that operated or franchised more than 5,700 properties with 1.1 million rooms under 30 brands in over 110 countries. That deal is how Le Méridien, founded by Air France in 1972, came to sit alongside the Ritz-Carlton in one portfolio.

A bidding contest

Marriott first offered $76 a share for Starwood in November 2015. In March 2016 the Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance Group bid $13.2 billion, about $78 a share, planning to partner with J.C. Flowers & Co. and Primavera Capital Group. Marriott then agreed a $13.6 billion deal: Starwood shareholders would receive $21 in cash plus 0.80 Marriott Class A shares for each Starwood Class A share. Marriott called the result “the world’s largest hotel company”. When it closed in September 2016, the completion report gave the value as $13 billion.

Size of the combined company

Before the merger Marriott had more than 4,400 properties in 87 countries and Starwood had nearly 1,300 in about 100 countries. Together they accounted for about one in every 15 hotel rooms worldwide. Starwood brought St. Regis, W, Sheraton, Westin, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, Design Hotels and Le Méridien. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher advised Marriott and Cravath, Swaine & Moore advised Starwood.

Le Méridien after the deal

Le Méridien had passed from Air France to Forte, Granada, Nomura and then Starwood, which bought it in November 2005. Marriott gained it in September 2016. Marriott now says the brand has more than 100 properties in 37 countries, and Wikipedia counted 109 open hotels with 29,439 rooms in June 2021.

The current chief executive

Anthony Capuano has led Marriott since February 2021. He joined in 1995, took on global development in 2009, design in 2014 and operations in 2020, and has a hotel administration degree from Cornell University.

Marriott in the Middle East in 2025

Marriott reported more than 230 organic signings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in 2025, covering over 31,000 rooms. It added 170 properties and nearly 24,000 rooms, lifting net rooms growth in the region to 7.8%. The UAE and Saudi Arabia were among the fastest-growing markets for signings, and notable UAE deals included The Residences at the Dubai Beach EDITION and Seamont, Autograph Collection Residences on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. At the end of the year Marriott had 33 open branded residence locations and 60 in the regional pipeline, and it signed a record 24 residential deals in the region.