Marriott owns 52 hotels in Britain whose turnover is more than 600 million pounds. Now, the US hotel operator is planning to build another 30 hotels under its lifestyle “Renaissance” brand name. Jurgen Giesbert, the head of Marriott’s Ireland and UK business said that these new hotels are for those who wish to have more of a local flavour on their stay at these hotels. Earlier, Marriott was criticized for its cookie cutter approach and now in response, it has come with the all new renaissance hotels.

However, its current new renaissance hotels are not up to the mark and hence it is expected that the Heathrow and Manchester hotels would be refurbished or disposed to meet the required standard. Marriott had taken over almost 47 hotels which were previously run by Whitbread under a franchise deal. Quinlan Private and IgaI Ahouvi Group, a property investment association now owns these hotels. The new owners are planning to spend 140 million pounds in the up gradation of about 42 hotels, a part of which will be met by selling the remaining five low quality hotels for nearly 70 million pounds. It is believed that the investment programme would be complete by the year 2009.