While 2024 was not a year that saw a massive wave of new hotel brand launches like in some years, it was a year of significant change for brands — including lots of mergers and acquisitions.
Here's a look back at some of the major brand news of the past year.
Jan. 9: Hilton announces its newly announced apartment-style, extended-stay brand will be known as LivSmart Studios by Hilton.
Jan. 22: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and SBE announced a new joint lifestyle brand under the working title Project HQ Hotels & Residences as the two companies start a strategic alliance.
On the same day, Choice Hotels continues its hostile takeover attempt of Wyndham by announcing a slate of eight potential directors to Wyndham's board.
Feb. 1: Travel + Leisure Co. announces a $48.4 million deal to acquire Accor Vacation Club.
Feb. 6: Miami-based investment fund H.I.G. Capital launches a brand called Ella Hotels & Resorts with an initial emphasis on developing resorts on the Greek islands of Corfu and Rhodes.
Feb. 21: Choice President and CEO Patrick Pacious indicates confidence his company will close on an acquisition of Wyndham by the end of 2024.
Feb. 23: Hyatt Hotels Corp. sells an 80% stake in the Unlimited Vacation Club to an unnamed buyer for $80 million, hoping to alleviate investor confusion about complicated accounting for the membership platform.
Feb. 27: Hilton announces a new partnership with glamping brand AutoCamp.
March 11: Choice abandons its takeover attempt of Wyndham after a tepid response from Wyndham shareholders to an exchange offer.
March 14: Hilton announces a deal to buy the Graduate Hotels brand from AJ Capital Partners for $210 million.
April 2: Wyndham announces a strategic relationship with upscale extended-stay brand WaterWalk.
April 3: Hilton acquires a controlling interest in the Sydell Group with plans to expand Sydell's NoMad Hotels brand.
April 8: The Philippines-based Hotel101 announces plans to go public in order to fund a global brand expansion.
April 16: IHG Hotels & Resorts doubles its German footprint through a deal with Novum Hospitality.
April 30: Whitbread PLC announces plans to sell off restaurant portfolio and prioritize growing its Premier Inn hotel brand.
June 4: Marriott International details its new conversion-friendly midscale brand under the working name of Project Mid-T.
June 6: India-based ITC spins off its ITC Hotels division.
June 14: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Accor announce plans for the relaunch of the Orient Express brand.
June 20: Accor's Ennismore division announces an investments in the sustainability-focused, luxury brand Our Habitas.
June 28: Hyatt acquires German hotel brand Me and All.
July 5: Room Mate Hotels buys another Spanish hotel firm, Staying Valencia.
On the same day, BWH Hotels announces a "preferred partnership" with another Spanish company, Braintrust Hospitality.
July 9: NUMA Group buys U.K.-based lifestyle aparthotel and serviced-apartment brand company Native Places.
Hilton's loyalty partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World goes live.
July 15: José Andrés Group teases possibility of standalone hotel brand.
July 24: The board for Selina Hospitality announces it has "no reasonable prospects" to avoid insolvency. The company is later sold to Singapore-based Collective Hospitality.
Aug. 19: Marriott and Sonder Holdings announce a licensing deal that adds 9,000 apartment-style units to Marriott's portfolio by the end of the year. Sonder's 200 properties in gateway cities across North America, Europe and the Middle East are presented as "Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy," with Marriott receiving royalty fees based on gross room revenues.
Aug. 20: Hyatt announces a deal to acquire Standard International, which owns lifestyle hotel brands The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels, for a deal valued up to $335 million including incentives.
Sept. 20: Oyo Hotels & Rooms' parent company, Oravel Stays, announces a planned $525 million all-cash deal to buy Motel 6's parent company, G6 Hospitality, from Blackstone Real Estate for $525 million.
Oct. 2: Hyatt closes the acquisition of Standard International.
Oct. 8: Marriott executives announce their planned conversion brand operating under the name "Project Mid-T by Marriott" is actually an expansion of the City Express midscale brand, which the company bought in late 2022 from Mexico-based Hoteles City Express for $100 million. Marriott plans to roll out the brand to franchisees in the U.S. and Canada.
Oct. 28: Hyatt expands its all-inclusive portfolio by roughly 30% in announcing a 50/50 joint venture with Grupo Piñero that will bring the Bahia Principe brand's properties into Hyatt's Inclusive Collection.
Nov. 6: Indian Hotels Company Limited, owner of the luxury brand Taj Hotels & Resorts, buys a 55% stake in lifestyle brand Tree of Life.
Dec. 12: Marriott International announced the planned acquisition of outdoor accommodation brand Postcard Cabins, formerly known as Getaway Outposts.
Dec. 16: Thailand-based Minor International announces plans to delist NH Hotel Group from the Madrid Stock Exchange.
Dec. 17: Oyo closes on its purchase of G6 Hospitality.