Marriott International completed its acquisition of the CitizenM hotel brand for $355 million. The deal raised questions about whether a major hotel corporation could successfully operate a brand built on unconventional hospitality principles, given CitizenM’s distinctive features such as compact guest rooms and the absence of traditional front desk lobbies.
One year following the transaction’s completion, Lennert de Jong, chief executive of Another Star—the rebranded company that previously owned CitizenM—indicated that the anticipated commercial benefits have materialized as expected. Another Star retained ownership of the physical hotel properties and now operates them under a franchise arrangement with Marriott.
De Jong characterized the post-acquisition integration using an airline analogy, noting that while different operators may use identical equipment, the customer experience differs based on who staffs the operation. He highlighted that the most significant observable change has been the diversification of the guest demographic accessing CitizenM locations.
A considerable portion of this new guest base consists of members of Marriott’s Bonvoy loyalty program. The integration of CitizenM into Marriott’s distribution network and loyalty ecosystem has expanded the brand’s reach beyond its original customer base. This development addresses a key consideration from the acquisition’s announcement: whether Marriott’s vast network and resources could help CitizenM expand its market presence while maintaining the brand’s distinctive positioning in the boutique hotel segment.
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