Marriott to Moxy and Courtyard Europe

An article in Bloomberg news states Marriott plans to double its number of rooms in Europe by 2020. Moxy for budget travelers and Courtyard for business travelers are the plans for gaining on Marriott’s 1% market share of hotel guests for Europe.

Marriott expects to grow from 74,000 rooms in 2015 to over 150,000 rooms in 2020. Granted the statement is qualified with “will have signed or opened 150,000 rooms in the region by 2020”. Signed deals can still mean another three to five years before a hotel is actually open for guests.

Marriott European 5-Year Plan: Get the Moxy Out

There is currently only one Moxy brand hotel open with Moxy Terminal 2, Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy. The hotel drops to a Marriott Rewards category 1 hotel at 7,500 points per reward night on March 19, 2015 from its current Marriott Rewards category 2 reward night tier at 10,000 points per night.

That is the kind of budget hotel move I like to see when looking to redeem hotel points.

Although, the hotel rate on a Sunday or a Tuesday night in late March 2015 is only 47 EUR for an advance purchase rate; less than $53 per night. I would probably pay the low room rate and save my 7,500 points for a better Marriott Rewards redemption value. A flexible rate for day before arrival cancellation with no penalty is 59 EUR ($66.00 USD).

Breakfast included rate at Moxy is 68 EUR ($76.07 USD).

Moxy fills a budget niche hotel market segment in Marriott for Europe in a way that Fairfield Inn would not resonate internationally as a cool American brand for hotel stays.

Courtyard by Marriott is simply a basic, good quality hotel at a price point for the business or leisure traveler without the expense account to always stay at the upper upscale Marriott and Renaissance brands.

Courtyard currently has 46 hotels in Europe compared to 93 Marriott Hotels & Resorts, 37 Renaissance full-service brand hotels. Marriott shows 311 hotels currently in Europe.

Marriott hotel brands in Europe

European Countries with Marriott brand hotels

Spain has the highest number of Marriott brand properties due to the acquisition of Spain-based AC Hotels by Marriott a few years ago. Spain is Marriott country.

United Kingdom has 50 Marriott full-service hotels and only 2 Courtyard hotels. Seems like Marriott may want to grow Courtyard in the UK.

Overall, there are many countries in Europe with a minimal Marriott presence or none at all. Norway, Finland and Baltic Countries have no Marriott footprint. Marriott can expand to Greece, Croatia and Slovenia. Many European countries with only a handful of Marriott brand hotels indicates doubling the size of Marriott in Europe over the next five years will likely still leave places uncovered by Marriott.

Aside from major cities, much of Europe remains outside of Marriott’s reach and may still be Marriott brand free in 2020.