Marriott introduces City Express hotel brand in the US

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Marriott’s newest hotel brand in the US focuses on the ‘affordable mid-range segment’. Expect the hotel equivalent of flying economy, but get a free checked bag and extra legroom, with the hotel group’s most no-nonsense, functional brand yet.

Sean O’Neill

Marriott International said Tuesday it is introducing a hotel brand — City Express by Marriott — in the U.S. and Canada, marking its entry into the “affordable mid-range” category in those countries.

The world’s largest hotelier teased this new brand in the US and Canada in May, describing it as Project Mid-T. Marriott purchased the City Express brand in Mexico in May 2023 and has since operated properties under the City Express by Marriott brand in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Marriott wanted to call its newest North American hotel brand City Express back in May, instead of temporarily calling it Project Mid-T.

However, rival hotel group IHG has filed a petition with the US Trademark and Patent Office to cancel the proposed trademark for City Express by Marriott. IHG argued that the name was a little too close in terms of comfort to its own popular hotel brand Holiday Inn Express. Marriott has solved that problem.

Key points

• City Express has grown strongly in the Caribbean and Latin America, increasing Marriott’s footprint by 45%.

• Marriott did not say how many deals it has signed for the new brand in the U.S. and Canada since May.

• Still, Diana Plazas-Trowbridge, senior VP and global brand leader for select brands, cited “tremendous interest” in a press statement. She expects signed agreements and possible hotel openings in the U.S. and Canada “within months.”

• The hotel giant said the new brand is primarily aimed at developers converting existing hotels rather than new construction.

A brand aimed at the middle class

The new Marriott brand is the latest example of hotel groups focusing on the mid-range segment. This level is in the middle of a spectrum between luxury and luxury brands on one end and economy and premium economy brands on the other.

Last year, Marriott debuted the Four Points Express by Sheraton as a midsize brand in Europe and StudioRes as a midsize extended-stay brand in North America. Last year, IHG launched its mid-market conversion brand Garner, Hilton launched its mid-market conversion brand Spark and Hyatt launched Hyatt Studios, an upper mid-market conversion brand.

This move reflects one of Skift’s Megatrends for this year: hotel groups are developing more brands that serve budget-conscious, middle-class guests with limited services but consistent delivery of essentials.