All of Marriott Bonvoy’s Hotel Brands Explained

As I write this article in early 2026, Marriott Bonvoy has a whopping 39 brands in its portfolio, and I’m sure that number will only continue to grow as time ticks on. Some brands can be quite similar, but some have major shortfalls, which I’ll be sure to point out. 

While it’s tempting for me to rank the brands, each traveller will ultimately have their own ranking system, as some customers may not ever stay in a St Regis, or vice versa, a SpringHill Suites.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at what each Marriott Bonvoy hotel brand offers and what you can expect on your next stay.

Collections Brands

The Collection brands skew toward the luxury side of the scale, but I would argue there’s a lot of value in some of them, and a pretty significant “avoid at all costs” brand in here, too. Marriott defines the “Collections Brands” as independent hotels that provide original experiences and exquisite design touches.

Autograph Collection

The Autograph Collection is probably my family’s favorite Marriott brand. Not only do these hotels usually have a great Platinum Elite breakfast benefit, but they’re usually less expensive than Westin or Marriott brands and provide a more fun experience. 

As a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite member, your welcome gift is either 1,000 points or $10 in Food and Beverage (F&B) credit, because breakfast is supposed to be served in a club lounge. In reality, very few of the Autograph Collection hotels have a club lounge, so you’re served hot breakfast in the hotel restaurant, which is almost always a superior breakfast to a club lounge, in my opinion. 

Some of my favorite Autograph hotels are:

• The Pearle Hotel and Spa, Burlington, Ontario
• The College Hotel Amsterdam
• Mount Juliet Estate, Kilkenny, Ireland
• The Douglas, Vancouver, British Columbia
• Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic, Montreux, Switzerland
• Hotel Stripes, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Design Hotels

Design Hotels are described by Marriott as visionary properties that reflect originality, cultural authenticity, and thought-provoking design. I’ve only stayed at one Design Hotel, and it was in St. Moritz, Switzerland, out of necessity: either spend $700 CAD/night or use 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. 

Sadly, design hotels do not offer complimentary breakfast for Elite members. Which is part of the reason I avoid them. As a welcome gift, you’ll be given 1,000 bonus points; however, some credit to the Giordano Hotel as we also received a very expensive bottle of olive oil as a welcome gift, which they were not required to provide. 

I would consider design hotels to be like a more unique experience of the Ritz Carlton, as the service level and clientele are similar, at least in my experience. I would probably avoid Design Hotels in the future to maximize my Elite Benefits and only stay if there were no other points-redemption options.

Tribute Portfolio

Tribute Portfolio hotels are almost exactly the same to me as Autograph Collection hotels; there are just fewer of them. Tributes are described as an exceptional collection of independent hotels and resorts with unique personalities and spirit. I’ve only stayed in one Tribute Portfolio hotel in Hudson, New York, which used to be a candle factory before it was repurposed into a hotel. It’s aptly named, The Wick.

Unlike Autograph Collection hotels, you must choose between Elite Breakfast or 1,000 points as a welcome gift. My elite breakfast at The Wick was lovely, and we even got a tote bag as an additional welcome gift.

MGM Collection

The MGM Collection is simply all MGM hotels that you can book through Marriott’s platform. The Elite Benefits are weak to nonexistent, and prices are usually higher than if you booked the hotel directly with MGM. But perhaps if you’re in a casino town mid-week and need some cheap nights for a mattress run, it can make sense to utilize this brand.

While the MGM Collection hotel lineup is comprised of many of the hotels on the Las Vegas strip, including the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, I don’t think I’ll ever use this collection.

Outdoor Collection

The Outdoor Collection is quickly becoming a favorite of mine in the Marriott brand portfolio. I wrote a detailed article on the brand’s pros and cons, since it’s so unique that it really deserves its own spotlight.

In a nutshell, you’ll either be glamping or staying close to hiking/surfing/skiing towns that offer convenience by proximity to these outdoor activities. It’s the least expensive nightly rate in this “brand category” and yet still offers a regular earn rate of 10 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD spent.

Longer Stays Brands

Longer stays are a nice way to phrase entry-level or least expensive brands. Not to say they’re bad hotels, I have probably stayed at more Residence Inn hotels than any other brand in the Marriott portfolio. 

Usually, at these locations, you’ll have a small kitchenette, or in some suites, a full kitchen in your room. If I need a room with 2 bedrooms, or at least a door separating two sleeping quarters, these are often great, inexpensive ways to do that, or make use of a Nightly Upgrade Award.

Residence Inn

Perhaps one of the better-known Marriott brands in North America, Residence Inns are seemingly in every midsize town across Canada and the US. The only downside to Residence Inns, like most other brands in this category, is that you only earn 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD. So if you genuinely have a long and relatively expensive stay, you’ll earn half the amount you normally would. 

One perk of these Longer Stay brands is that many of them include a free buffet breakfast for all guests.

TownePlace Suites

On top of spending my fair share of time at Residence Inn, I’ve also been known to frequent a couple of TownPlace Suites. I find TownPlace Suites properties have a bit more local flair, with things like a walking-distance guide to recommended activities in the form of a giant map on the wall. Similar to Residence Inn, you’ll only earn 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD.

Element Hotels by Westin

The Element brand is one of the few I have never stayed in with Marriott! One of the benefits of this brand is that they’re all new-build or at least newly renovated hotels, so your stay will feel fresh. The biggest benefit, however, is that all of these hotels use Westin Heavenly Beds, which are an absolute dream to sleep on. 

I hope the quality has remained consistent, as this is a less expensive brand, so I would hope that the Heavenly Beds are not just a marketing tactic. Sadly, this brand also only earns 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD.

StudioRes

Currently, there is only one hotel under this banner, and it’s in Fort Myers, Florida. It’s an extended-stay hotel, similar to the Extended Stay America chain, where it’s more apartment-focused, hence the Studio portion of the name. 

This brand was added in May of 2025 and, shockingly, offers no elite night credit and earns only 4 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD. For me, this makes the brand a strict avoid-at-all-costs, and it starts a worrying trend among new additions to the Bonvoy portfolio.

Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy

Homes & Villas is essentially a booking platform for short-term rental owners to advertise their properties on. By booking through the platform, you’ll earn only 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD. Occasionally, you’ll be able to earn 10 points per dollar during promotional periods, and it’s not uncommon to see an Amex Offer feature this brand. 

It’s important to note that you can’t use Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Certificates or the 5th Night Free benefit when staying at Homes & Villas properties.

Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy

Launched in 2022, this brand has not expanded much in its initial 4 years. In fact, before writing, I didn’t know this brand existed! There are only 4 properties currently under this brand, and like others in this category, you’ll only earn 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD.

I doubt award travellers will find much use in this brand!

Marriott Executive Apartments

Unlike Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, Executive Apartments have many locations worldwide, but still earn only 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per USD. They tend to be priced reasonably for hotels, but it would certainly cost a lot compared to average rents in big cities. If you need a stay that feels more like an apartment, this is certainly your best brand in the Marriott portfolio.

Select Brands

Marriott describes their Select Brands as classically designed brands that allow travellers to focus on their destination and experiences. In reality, I don’t see a huge difference between many of the Longer Stays and Select brands, except that the Select brands have fewer free breakfast offerings, but do often earn 10 points per 1 USD.

Courtyard

Courtyard hotels can be inconsistent across locations, as I’ve occasionally gotten lovely welcome gifts and free breakfast, on top of a $10 F&B credit. Other times, it feels as though I’m a pain to check in, and I am begrudgingly offered a $10 F&B credit or 500 points as a welcome gift.

Courtyard locations are often priced a little high for what you get, in my opinion, but they’re always a clean hotel with larger-than-average rooms.

Four Points by Sheraton

Four Points doesn’t actually have much to do with Sheraton, in my opinion, after recently experiencing both brands. What Four Points does have going for it is a generally solid Elite Breakfast offering and the ability to earn 10 Marriott points per dollar spent. 

I think that Four Points hotels abroad tend to be higher-end, such as this beautiful lobby at the Barcelona Airport Four Points.

SpringHill Suites

SpringHill Suites is often a brand I try to seek out, as they’re priced the same as, or similar to, a Residence Inn or Townplace Suites, but they earn 10 Marriott Points per dollar. As the name entails, they’re an all-suite property, so you’ll usually have a significant sitting area, like a sofa, for some extra space. 

Sometimes you’ll even find TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites in the same building, for the exact same nightly price. It’s moments like that when knowing your brand details, specifically the earning rate per dollar spent, will be very rewarding!

Fairfield by Marriott

Fairfield hotels can often leave a lot to be desired, unfortunately. While you’ll have a place to sleep and a breakfast spread in the morning, I find these hotels consistently underperform, whether it’s the quality of the pillows or the old, dingy rooms. It’s nice that we can earn 10 points per USD spent, but I’ll take most other brands over Fairfield.

The exception to this rule was the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Copenhagen, which could have pulled off being a Tribute Collection property. It was way better than the Moxy across town!

AC Hotels

AC Hotels are meant to “strike a perfect balance” between what you want and what you need. But in reality, they’re just aesthetically pleasing Fairfield Inns that don’t offer complimentary breakfast. Usually, these properties won’t have suites, so your upgraded room type usually isn’t worth much. But, if you value style and an aesthetically pleasing design with a small out-of-pocket cost, AC Hotels fit that bill.

My stay at the AC in Wurzburg had a lovely corner view room, but we had to pay for breakfast as the $10 per person credit didn’t cover the cost of the buffet.

CitizenM

CitizenM is one of the newer brands in Marriott’s portfolio. They were a popular and successful brand on their own before Marriott got involved, and they have established themselves as a city-center type. Usually, you’ll find some kind of nightlife at your hotel, and while I’ve never stayed at a CitizenM property, I have visited their NYC rooftop bar!

They carry a similar vibe to a W Hotel, so if you enjoy the wild design and quirky fun offered there, you’ll feel right at home at CitizenM. Sadly, you won’t get any Elite Breakfast here. However, you do have the option to choose a $10 F&B credit for every night of your stay.

Aloft

Aloft can best be described as W Hotels’ “lite” as it is definitely not luxury, but it also doesn’t come with a luxury price tag. Your elite gift will be free breakfast, though! I’ve only stayed at Aloft a few times, and it’s consistently been a solid experience with a touch of added flair.

Usually, you’ll have something like a freshly prepared breakfast sandwich as your complimentary breakfast, which isn’t too bad at all.

Moxy Hotels

Moxy properties tend to be fairly basic, but they’re a fun place to stay. You check in at the bar and collect your welcome drink (usually a cocktail, but non-alcoholic options are also available) and then proceed to your tiny room. Sadly, there’s a wide range in the quality of Moxy hotels, as I’ve stayed in excellent locations in Tokyo and Athens, but Copenhagen was unenjoyable. 

You’ll get a $10 food and beverage credit at most properties, but I’ve also been offered free breakfast as an Elite welcome gift. One benefit of Moxy hotels is that they’re all recently built or renovated, so you’ll never feel like your accommodations are dingy or in need of repair. 

Overall, I really like Moxy hotels for their low price point, fresh rooms, and fun environment, but occasionally you might find a bad apple.

Protea Hotels

Protea hotels are only located in Africa, and sadly, have some major drawbacks, as you only earn 1 Elite Night for every 2 nights you stay. On top of that, you’ll only earn 5 points per dollar spent, versus 10 for most other brands in the Select category. 

That being said, it’s better than earning nothing, since Marriott doesn’t have many lodging options in Africa. You will at least be offered a free breakfast every day if you are Platinum Elite or higher.

City Express

Similar to Protea hotels, you’ll only earn 0.5 Elite Nights for every 1 night stayed, and a subpar earning ratio of 5 Bonvoy points per USD. The design of these hotels tends to be vibrant, and they’re often located in city centers in Latin America. Unless the price is extremely attractive, I would probably avoid City Express if you’re chasing Marriott Lifetime Status.

Four Points Flex

With Four Points Flex and other lower-end Select properties with Marriott, you’ll notice a trend of earning only 0.5 Elite Qualifying Nights per night stayed! Unfortunately, it’s a worrying trend that new brands entering the fold are earning so few points and Elite Nights towards status.

This brand is intended for the rapid expansion of the Marriott portfolio, as hotel owners can join the booking platform without extensive renovations. Currently, the hotels are scattered across Europe, but expect to see them pop up everywhere going forward.

Series By Marriott

Series by Marriott also seems to be a rapid expansion brand that only earns 0.5 Elite Nights and 5 Bonvoy points per dollar. Series is starting to expand in the US and India, and seems to be a longer stay style of hotel, with an Autograph Collection sense of style. 

Since this brand only earns 0.5 Elite Nights, I don’t intend on trying them out anytime soon, but perhaps if they’re my only option, I think they’re more enticing than the other “0.5 Elite Night” brands.

Premium Brands

Premium Brands are where we see most of the legacy brands from Starwood and Marriott before they were merged into one loyalty program under Marriott Bonvoy. With the legacy many of these brands carry, you’ll often get a similar experience across locations with few expectations.

Marriott Hotels

Marriott Hotels are the most consistent of this bunch, as every location will have an M Club lounge to deliver Platinum Elite benefits, which can be a positive and a negative. If the M Club is nice, you get a wonderful experience with evening snacks and a great breakfast. However, sometimes the M Clubs are afterthoughts, and you’re left with runny eggs and undercooked bacon.

Usually, my experience at these properties is positive, but predictable down to the coffee makers and the design on the coffee cups offered in the room. If you want the same experience without any local flair, Marriott Hotels are what you’re looking for!

Sheraton

Sheraton was one of the great Starwood brands, and Marriott continues to service them well. Almost every club lounge I’ve been to at a Sheraton has been excellent, and I’ve been loving the new modern design language in their updated hotels. There are still some locations with the painfully mid-2000s interior design, but I don’t think I’ve had a bad experience at a Sheraton.

Elite Breakfast will be served either in a club lounge or at the restaurant if the property doesn’t have one. Much like the Marriott hotels brand, you won’t get local flair, but I find Sheraton’s to be less expensive and nicer than Marriott-branded properties.

Marriott Vacation Clubs

Marriott Vacation Clubs are a niche brand within the portfolio. While you can earn 10 Bonvoy points per USD spent, you won’t have any elite benefits, and usually, these are low-service properties. Meaning, housekeeping won’t happen every day, and there’s likely to be fewer resources dedicated to quality food and beverage service at the resort. This is due to the design of the properties being longer stays, where guests cook their own meals, and even have laundry machines in the unit. 

Additionally, you can’t use Bonvoy points solely to stay here. If you want to use points, you’ll need to use a Points+Cash rate at a very poor value.

Delta Hotels

Delta Hotels can be a mixed bag, as some properties are closer to a Fairfield than to a Sheraton, but in theory, these properties are supposed to slot in with Sheraton at the same level. You’ll be offered a free breakfast as an elite welcome gift, and I find the properties that really excel at this are those without club lounges. 

For example, the downtown Vancouver location has an excellent free breakfast that’s prepared fresh for you. Some elite lounges can also be fantastic, with downtown Toronto’s location offering evening hot plates that can replace dinner and come with an incredible view of the CN Tower. At renovated locations, you’ll find a similar interior design to new Sheraton hotels.

Obviously, upgrades and elite treatment will be property-specific, but I find that Delta hotel staff are often well-trained.

Westin

Westin hotels go up among my favorites in the Marriott portfolio. Usually focused on outdoor activity, Westin does an excellent job of blending wellness and luxury. Depending on where you are in the world, you may even be able to sneak in a 35K Free Night Certificate during off-peak travel, which is a huge bang for the buck.

Some things I love about Westin are its signature Heavenly mattresses and White Tea scented products. If I’m lucky enough to stumble across a property still giving a small bottle of hand lotion, you bet those are coming with me!

Free breakfast comes as a welcome gift, and it’s usually quite excellent! Some of my favorite Westins are the Westin Whistler and the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.

Le Meridien

The Le Méridien brand is one that Marriott doesn’t seem to know what to do with after acquiring it from Starwood in 2016. While there have been a few renovations and rebrands since then, namely the 2021 addition of Le Méridien Maldives, the brand doesn’t have a strong footprint or marketing. 

The few properties I’ve had an opportunity to visit seemed quite dated and didn’t really live up to the standard that brands like Sheraton or Westin set for the Premium segment. While I’m sure there are properties that are quite nice, it would strengthen the brand to see some investment in renovation. 

At least the elite benefits are nice, as you’ll receive free breakfast as a welcome gift.

Renaissance Hotels

Renaissance has an incredibly apt name in my opinion, as many of the hotels under this banner could use a Renaissance of their own! The brand was acquired by Marriott from Ramada in 1997, and there hasn’t been a major expansion since. For example, I just used a 35K Free Night Certificate to stay at the Renaissance Orlando Airport, and it was so old and dated that I didn’t even bother to take pictures.

At least Renaissance hotels will include breakfast benefits, either in the form of a club lounge or, if they don’t have one, a restaurant breakfast, as at the Hotel Metropolitan in Vancouver.

Gaylord Hotels

I have not had the pleasure of stepping inside one of these behemoths, but I’ve seen plenty of them in my travels, as they’re hard to miss! Gaylord Hotels are more like conference centers than hotels, as they feature massive atriums as central hubs. One downside to Gaylord Properties is that, generally, they’ll charge a resort fee, and unfortunately, Marriott still includes these, even on award stays. 

There are only 6 of these resorts spread across the US. As a Marriott Elite, you’ll receive only $10 per day as a F&B credit, which is fairly weak compared to most other brands in this category and price range.

Luxury Brands

Luxury Brands at Marriott Bonvoy are almost always exceptional. Sometimes JW Marriott properties don’t deliver on the level we expect, but there are far more amazing properties in the collection that could easily be part of the Luxury Collection. If you’re looking to maximize the value of Marriott Bonvoy points, these are often the brands you’ll want to seek out.

Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton brand name simply oozes luxury and needs no introduction. I’ve only been lucky enough to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, but it was a very memorable stay. From plush robes and bedding to personalized services like an extensive pillow menu and shoe shines, these properties deliver on every level. 

The only downside of Ritz-Carlton properties is that they don’t offer any Elite breakfast benefits. For that reason, I would recommend experiencing this brand when you’re a Silver or Gold member with Marriott Bonvoy, because you won’t feel like you’re missing out. Now that I’m Titanium and likely won’t drop below in the foreseeable future, I opt to stay at St. Regis properties when I’m looking for ultra-luxury as they include breakfast for elite members.

Ritz-Carlton Reserve

The Reserve brand of Ritz Carlton takes things even further than the esteemed Ritz-Carlton does, with a level of guest interaction not met by any other brand. Fellow writer Jeff had an excellent stay at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali, and had nothing but excellent feedback.

While it won’t come cheap, if price (or points) are no object, then Ritz Carlton Reserve is the place to be.

St. Regis

The St. Regis is always a treat to stay at. With excellent elite benefits and some amazing rooms to upgrade to, I really feel the power of points and miles when I’m staying at these wonderful locations. St. Regis is probably the best brand you can book and still get free breakfast, which is almost always served fresh in a gourmet restaurant. 

The only thing that gets annoying about St. Regis is how expensive everything else at the resort is. Among enthusiasts, this is often referred to as the “St Regis Tax” – and it’s very real. I certainly felt it during our stay at St. Regis Kanai, however, when you’re staying in such a beautiful place, some of that is to be expected. Just be aware that it’s going to be there before you book your stay!

W Hotels

Staying at any W location is generally a fun time! You’ll be surrounded by bold design, fun rooms, and a younger, almost party atmosphere. On top of that, you’ll get an excellent breakfast served fresh from a restaurant and never from a buffet. Sometimes the vibes can be a little too much on the party side, so if you’re not terribly interested in that side of things, perhaps choose a different hotel for a weekend in a city location.

For example, W is known for its Wet Deck in multiple cities, which features a pool and club atmosphere overlooking the cityscape.

EDITION

EDITION Hotels are almost like a “new money” version of Ritz Carlton hotels. While I haven’t had the privilege of staying in one yet, I’ve often been tempted only to turn away the opportunity due to the lack of an Elite Breakfast. Often extremely design-forward, EDITION hotels are like staying in a modern art museum, and are priced like it as well!

The Luxury Collection

I’ve only stayed at one luxury collection property, as there are not that many throughout the world. I don’t notice a huge difference in quality between Autograph Collection properties and Luxury Collection properties, except maybe in their locations within large cities. For example, the Luxury Collection hotel I stayed at was in Milan, right next to the main train station. Prime real estate that certainly commanded a higher price! 

That being said, I don’t think Luxury Collection properties will be as consistent with levels of service and luxury like the Ritz Carlton brand, as there’s a lot of variation between hotels.

JW Marriott

The JW Brand has the largest footprint among Luxury Brands, with nearly 120 properties worldwide. With that many hotels, you’re bound to find some inconsistency, but it’s few and far between. Most of the time, JW brands are among my favorite stays, but recently, the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek didn’t deliver compared to its counterparts. 

However, when things are done right, you’ll usually find yourself surrounded by excellent service, lovely interior design, and wonderful food and drink. On top of that, JW’s tend to be priced less compared to other Luxury Brands, so you’re getting excellent value for your money or points. 

We’ve reviewed quite a few JW Hotels on Frugal Flyer and some of my favorites include the JW Marriott Nairobi, the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, and the JW Marriott Phu Quoc (Vietnam).

Conclusion

With so many different brands in the Marriott Portfolio, it can often be confusing as to what to expect from your hotel stay. Whether you’ll earn all the points you expect or get free breakfast as an elite member can be a maze to unravel. With this guide and my firsthand experiences with the different brands, hopefully, you can use it to book hotels that better align with your expectations.