What are hotel brands?

Hotel brands are distinct identities that distinguish different hotel businesses, helping them to stand out in the market, and attract more new and returning guests.

In this guide we’ll learn what makes a top hotel brand, and the lessons that a small, independent hotel can take from major hotel brands from around the world.

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Why small hotels must learn from top hotel brands

Major hotel brands are market leaders for a reason. They’ve generally developed a strong reputation for consistency and guest satisfaction, which they can now lean on to boost revenue and drive long-term success.

And, in a virtuous cycle, that success means they can pour more resources into further enhancing their brands.

As such, top hotel brands can be a source of inspiration for small, independent hotels looking to grow. Top hotel brands are top hotel brands for a reason: they represent something that resonates with guests, they stand out in a competitive marketplace, and they convert this hard-won reputation into revenue.

By studying major hotel brands, your hotel can apply lessons to your own business, and potentially replicate some of the success of the big players.

Hotel brand rankings: How top hotels are ranked

Hotel brand rankings can be a loose and largely subjective thing because you can rank hotel businesses in any number of ways. Nevertheless, these lists offer a quick and easy way to identify the most successful brands in the space, while indicating exactly what powers that success.

Annual revenue

  1. Marriott International: $25.1B
  2. MGM Resorts: $17.2B
  3. Hilton Worldwide: $11.2B

Properties, reach and rooms

  1. Marriott International: 8700+ properties, 139 countries, 1.5+ million rooms
  2. Hilton Worldwide: 7000+ properties, 122 countries, 1+ million rooms
  3. Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG): 6,000+ properties, 100+ countries, 880,000+ rooms

Brand value (market cap)

  1. Hilton Worldwide: $11.6B
  2. Hyatt: $6B
  3. Hampton Inn: $4.2B

Trust (top hotel brands in the US)

  1. IHG Hotels & Resorts
  2. Hilton Worldwide
  3. AAA

Guest satisfaction (top hotel brands in the US)

  1. Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts: Rated 726/1000
  2. Kimpton: 722/1000
  3. Hyatt: 716/1000

There are plenty of other ways to rank hotel brands, depending on the inspiration and insights you’re looking for: guest reviews, loyalty programs, amenities, sustainability.

More often than not there will be an industry report or consumer survey that breaks down the leaders in your area of focus.

hotel brands

Key lessons small hotels can learn from major hotel brands

Once you’ve got a top hotel brands list to work from, you can begin to analyse and draw lessons from the top performing hotels.

Branding & positioning

A targeted and consistent brand is key to hospitality success. You need to identify the type of guest you’re looking to attract, create a brand that resonates with that guest, and then display it consistently across your properties, marketing and communications.

Take Marriott: by many measures the world’s biggest hotel brand. Its logo is clean, bold and easily recognisable, with its signature red conveying energy and warmth.

Marriott’s sub-brands then bring their own identity, while maintaining visual cohesion:

  • Luxury brands like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis use deep blues, blacks and golds to evoke exclusivity and prestige.
  • Midscale brands like Courtyard and Residence Inn lean into earthy, welcoming tones like greens, browns and soft neutrals.

Guest experience

Your brand should both hint at and reinforce the guest experience you offer. Take Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, which doesn’t just sell itself as a hotel, but a lifestyle experience.

Margaritaville properties feature immersive, island-inspired theming, friendly and fun customer service, and on-site experiences like live music, themed pool parties and beachfront yoga.

This story-driven guest experience, with a focus on atmosphere, service and creating memorable moments, can serve as a source of inspiration for your hotel.

Revenue & pricing

Top brands, like Hilton, use advanced revenue management and AI-driven pricing models to optimise rates in real time. Hilton uses a combination of strategies, including demand-based pricing, competitor benchmarking, member discounts and length-of-stay deals to set pricing that maximises both bookings and revenue.

The good news? These strategies are no longer reserved for the biggest brands. Pricing tools like Little Hotelier Insights can grant even the smallest hotels access to high-end room rate info that can get you earning more.

Marketing strategies

Marketing is where you get to sell your brand, and that is made so much easier if you have a clearly defined personality. Take CitizenM, a Dutch hotel brand that specialises in affordable luxury accommodation that could be described as boutique, bold and urban.

Their social media is personality-filled and perfectly cheeky: take this Instagram post that collates the brand’s one-star reviews, then sells them as positives. It’s a bold strategy that could only work from a bold brand, and CitizenM does it well.

The lesson for independent hotels? Find your voice, and work to stand out from the crowd in a way that resonates with your target audience.

Guest loyalty

Top hotel brands know the value of guest loyalty: acquiring a new customer can be 5-7x more expensive than simply retaining an old one. Rewards programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors offer guests a reason to come back, by letting them accrue points or granting them access to exclusive deals and discounts.

You can do the same, creating your own guest loyalty program that incentivises guests to visit you regularly.

Technology & efficiency

Today’s hotel guests appreciate the convenience offered by the latest technology, and major hotel chains like IHG have taken notice. The brand offers digital check-in through its app and website, with the guest picking up their room key at a designated area as soon as they arrive. 

This tech-forward efficiency continues in the room, where IHG has started to implement mobile room controls that let guests customise lighting, blinds and room temperature via their smartphones.

By installing smart devices and implementing hotel check-in software, your property can offer a similarly efficient and tech-forward guest experience.

Sustainability

With travellers becoming increasingly eco-conscious, major hotel brands are realising that it’s not enough to say the right things in terms of sustainability – you need to actually do the right things.

Accor has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable hospitality. Its Planet 21 program and Net Zero initiative focus on reducing the chain’s environmental impact, supporting local communities and promoting responsible tourism.

While it might be on a smaller scale, you can commit to similar efforts at your hotel, both in terms of your impact on the environment (reducing, reusing, recycling), and on your local community (employing locals, paying living wages, partnering with local businesses).

Top hotel brands list

Looking for brands that can inspire you to be the best hotel you can be? The lists below are a great place to start.

Top luxury hotel brands

​The following brands are renowned for their exceptional service, opulent lodgings and unique experiences.

  • Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts​
  • Ritz-Carlton​
  • Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group​
  • St. Regis Hotels & Resorts​
  • Aman Resorts​
  • Rosewood Hotels & Resorts​
  • Belmond​
  • Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas​
  • Park Hyatt​
  • The Peninsula Hotels​

Top hotel brands in the US

​The following brands have a significant presence across the US, and range from luxury offerings to budget-friendly options.

  • Marriott International​
  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts​
  • Hyatt Hotels Corporation​
  • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts​
  • InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)​
  • Best Western Hotels & Resorts​
  • Choice Hotels International​
  • Radisson Hotel Group​
  • Omni Hotels & Resorts​
  • Loews Hotels

Top hotel brands in the UK

The following brands have a strong presence in the UK and across Europe, and offer a variety of accommodation types and experiences.

  • Premier Inn
  • Travelodge
  • Malmaison Hotels
  • The Ritz London
  • The Savoy
  • Radisson Blu
  • Hotel du Vin
  • Clayton Hotel
  • Park Plaza Hotels
  • De Vere Hotels

Top hotel brands in Asia

​These brands are prominent in the Asian hospitality market and form a mix of local and global brands.

  • Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts​
  • Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group​
  • The Peninsula Hotels​
  • Oberoi Hotels & Resorts​
  • Taj Hotels​
  • Aman Resorts​
  • Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas​
  • Capella Hotels and Resorts​
  • Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas​
  • Hyatt Hotels Corporation

All modern, successful hotel brands share one thing in common: they use technology to optimise every effort, from enhancing the guest experience to maximising brand awareness.

And for small, independent hotels, there’s one software solution that sits head and shoulders above the rest: Little Hotelier.

Distinguish your hotel brand from the competition with Little Hotelier

Once you’ve decided on your hotel brand, your task turns to building it. And there’s no better tool to do just that than Little Hotelier – a simple, intuitive, all-in-one solution that can bring your brand to life.

  • Enhance the guest experience: Delivering a memorable brand experience is made so much easier with Little Hotelier’s Guest Engagement. Offer digital check-in, manage guest communications and curate a custom local directory.
  • Brand your booking engine: Little Hotelier’s customisable booking engine lets you showcase your logo, colours and personality, helping guests feel warm and welcome from the moment they land on your website.
  • Keep your brand front and centre: From controlling the branding on your OTA listing with Little Hotelier’s channel manager, to adding your branding to automated emails and messages, you can stay consistent and professional with zero extra effort.
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By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).