The man behind Edition signals end to Marriott partnership to focus on new hotel brand
One of Marriott’s buzziest brands might lose its direct link to the man who many view as one of the originators of the boutique hotel.
Ian Schrager plans to step back from his partnership with Marriott International on Edition Hotels, according to two of his recent Instagram posts. Schrager, who is perhaps best known for co-founding the infamous nightclub Studio 54 and later building a foundation for the boutique hotel movement with his Morgans Hotel Group, first partnered with Marriott on Edition in 2008.
Schrager recently relaunched Public, a hotel brand he’s pitched as a luxury offering with elements of limited-service properties that rely more on technology. It now appears that focusing on the latest iteration of Public will take top billing in the Schrager universe.
“All things must pass. The spectacular new Madrid Edition is one of the last remaining Editions I will be doing before I focus 100% on expanding Public…my true passion,” Schrager posted to Instagram this week. “We will announce our plans shortly.”
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But this departure may not come as swiftly as Schrager’s social media posts suggest.
“Marriott looks forward to working with Schrager to bring future projects to life, including 13 of the hotels in the [Edition] development pipeline,” the company said in a statement to TPG.
TPG reached out to a representative for Schrager for further comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
The Madrid Edition, which opened for preview last month, is Marriott’s second Edition in Spain after one opened in Barcelona in 2018. The company currently has 14 Edition-branded hotels worldwide.
Marriott indicated at the 2008 launch that Edition could eventually swell to more than 100 hotels around the world — similar to the current footprint of Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott.
Schrager has been on the move lately in focusing more on Public. He indicated last year a plan to develop up to 10 of these hotels over five years before pursuing another partnership to significantly expand the brand — indicating he still sees plenty of value in tethering to a company like Marriott.
