Marriott International has opened its first U.S. property under the "affordable midscale" City Express brand it acquired in 2022 and announced it planned to open "more than a dozen" additional such properties in the U.S. and Canada in 2025, the company said Tuesday.
The City Express by Marriott Duluth, Ga., now is available for booking, featuring complimentary breakfast and a 24-hour market. The property is a conversion and formerly was a Best Western Plus hotel, also known as the Sugarloaf Hotel & Suites Duluth.
Marriott on Tuesday said it had signed agreements to open more than 45 City Express properties in the U.S. and Canada, more than a dozen of which are planned to open this year, including properties in Chicago, New Orleans, Orlando, and Port Hope, Ont.
"The introduction of City Express by Marriott properties in the U.S. represents a pivotal moment for Marriott International as we continue to expand our footprint in the midscale segment," Marriott global development officer for the U.S. and Canada Noah Silverman said in a statement.
Marriott in 2022 paid Mexico-based midscale hospitality company Hoteles City Express $100 million to acquire the City Express brand, which at the time included more than 17,000 guest rooms in 152 hotels across 75 cities in Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile and Colombia. Marriott in October said it would bring the brand to the U.S. and Canada. The company also plans to expand City Express in the next three years to Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Peru, and also plans to introduce it in Brazil, it said.
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