Most regional UK Marriott hotels to rebrand as Delta this Autumn – what’s going on?

Whilst there has been no formal announcement, Marriott International is switching most of its UK regional Marriott hotels to its Delta brand over the next three months.

Marriott International treats Delta Hotels as a ‘conversion’ brand, like Hilton’s DoubleTree or IHG’s voco. A ‘conversion’ brand has very few brand requirements, allowing hotels to defect from competitors with minimal investment.

It isn’t meant to be used for conversions within the same company …..

Which Marriott hotels are converting to Delta?

Here is the list of Marriott-branded hotels outside London and their status. Marriott has confirmed the accuracy of this.

Regional UK Marriott hotels converting to Delta imminently:

City hotels:

• Aberdeen
• Bexleyheath
• Birmingham
• Bristol (City)
• Durham
• Edinburgh
• Huntingdon
• Liverpool
• Manchester Airport
• Newcastle MetroCentre
• Northampton
• Peterborough
• Preston
• Slough (Heathrow / Windsor)
• Swansea
• Swindon
• Waltham Abbey
• York

Country club hotels:

• Breadsall Priory
• Forest of Arden
• St Pierre
• Tudor Park
• Worsley Park

Regional UK Marriott hotels which are remaining:

City hotels:

• Bournemouth
• Bristol (Royal)
• Cardiff
• Glasgow
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Manchester V&A
• Portsmouth

Country club hotels:

• Hanbury Manor
• Lingfield Park

All of the London hotels are staying with the Marriott brand.

Where are there currently Delta Hotels?

There are already a handful of Delta Hotels in the UK, converted from other brands such as QHotels. These are:

• Cheltenham Chase (ex QHotels)
• Cheshunt (ex Marriott)
• Milton Keynes (ex Hilton)
• Nottingham Belfry (ex QHotels, below)
• Telford (ex independent)
• Warwick (ex Hilton, top image above)

Why is this happening?

Good question.

Clearly, if you look at the hotels which are remaining, they are primarily ‘bigger city’ properties.

This doesn’t explain why Birmingham, Durham, Edinburgh and Liverpool have failed to make the cut, or why Bournemouth, Leicester and Portsmouth stay.

I get a feeling that it is a mix of:

• The Marriott brand wanting to sharpen up its positioning in the UK, which explains the loss of the country clubs and some of the second tier properties

• The Marriott brand downgrading some hotels which no longer meet its standards in terms of room quality, facilities etc

• Marriott International potentially laying the groundwork for future UK expansion by clearing the way for new, better Marriott-branded hotels in some cities

• Marriott International wanting to get some momentum behind the Delta brand, which is well behind target in terms of the number of UK openings – it is now seven years since the chain was acquired and conversion brands are meant to grow quickly

One thing that is interesting looking at the hotel list above is how few Marriott-branded hotels have opened in the UK in the last 20 years. Have any of the hotels listed above been built in this century? (EDIT: the comments say that Leicester opened in 2006.)

It isn’t clear why so many hotels have agreed to swap brands, given that the Delta Hotels name is less well known. It is possible that they were offered a sharp reduction in brand fees, and switching a large number of hotels at once will help establish the brand more quickly.

EDIT: Marriott has dropped me a note to say that all of the 23 hotels which are converting will be renovated by late Summer 2023.

Is there a downside to staying at a Delta Hotel after the conversion?

Over time we can potentially expect the Delta properties to move away from Marriott standards in areas such as room service, room refurbishment etc.

In terms of Marriott Bonvoy benefits, little will change. You still earn points at the same rate, and it shouldn’t impact redemption pricing.

In terms of breakfast benefit, the rule is the same. Platinum and Titanium members of Marriott Bonvoy receive free breakfast if they choose it as their welcome amenity.

In terms of timing, the transitions will start in August, September or October depending on the hotel. I would assume that most hotels will remain open throughout given that the changes will be primarily cosmetic in the short term.

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)