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Marriott International Completes Acquisition of City Express Brand Portfolio in Latin America

We are excited to share that Marriott has announced it has completed the transaction to acquire the extensive City Express brand portfolio. With the acquisition, Marriott International is launching its 31^st brand – City Express by Marriott.

The City Express hotel portfolio, consisting of over 150 midscale properties in Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Chile, will join Marriott’s franchise system and make the company the largest hotel company in the Caribbean and Latin America, continuing our exciting journey to be the World’s Favorite Travel Company and offer even more affordable options for our partners.

FAQs

Who is Hoteles City Express?

•    Hoteles City Express is a Mexico-based company founded in 2002 by Luis Barrios.
•    The company has a portfolio of five brands – City Centro, City Express Suites, City Express Plus, City Express Hoteles and City Express Junior.
•    Hoteles City Express has over 150 existing hotels (17,000+ rooms) across 75 cities in 30 of the 32 states in Mexico, as well as Colombia, Chile and Costa Rica.
•    The company has five under-construction projects in the pipeline, representing over 600 additional rooms.
•    Hoteles City Express operates in the affordable mid-scale segment.
•    The company has exceptional brand recognition among Latin American travelers and has been awarded the prestigious designations of “Marca Notoria” by the Mexican government.

Will Marriott International have a new brand? Why?

•    Yes. With the completion of the acquisition, Marriott is launching its 31^st brand, City Express by Marriott.
•    We are continuously looking for meaningful additions to our brand portfolio in different segments and in different markets.
•    We will continue to look at various opportunities globally and make investments that fit strategically in our portfolio and provide growth potential.
•    Given the high-growth nature of the affordable midscale segment, the company sees a meaningful opportunity to further expand the City Express by Marriott brand – initially in the CALA region, and potentially in other markets.

Will Marriott operate these hotels?

•    No, Hoteles City Express and other third parties will continue to own and operate the hotels.

When will City Express hotels integrate into the Marriott Central Reservation System?

•    Marriott will be migrating City Express from their current Central Reservation System (CRS) to the Marriott Central Reservation System (MARSHA) late summer 2023.

When will the City Express chain code (XE) appear under the Marriott Master Chain Code (EM)?

•    Late summer 2023, the City Express chain code (XE) will be available under Marriott’s Master Chain Code EM.

Who do I contact if I have a question related to GDS bookings between acquisition close date and Marriott International system integration?

•    Until City Express is moved over to the Marriott systems, anticipated late summer 2023, you can cancel and/or modify any City Express booking made before the integration date as per the normal GDS process.

Will Marriott be providing updates on the integration of City Express hotels?

•    Yes, we will be providing additional updates in the coming weeks and months.