Starwood Hotels & Resorts grows its partnership with Design Hotels to include the company as its 11^th brand. Since 2011, Starwood has been a majority but passive investor in the Berlin-based Design Hotels, which for more than two decades has served as a global distribution, sales and marketing affiliation for nearly 300 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts united by the vision of bold, diverse hoteliers, known as “Originals.”

Under the terms of the new partnership, select member hotels of Design Hotels are now bookable through Starwood’s websites, mobile apps and global network of customer contact centers.

“Starwood’s hotel guests and SPG members will see our new marketing partnership with Design Hotels as an 11th Starwood brand. It will create a special niche in our distinct portfolio of global brands and offer more options for travelers to stay with us around the world,” said Adam Aron, interim CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “These independent, design-forward hotels will benefit from Starwood’s powerful loyalty and distribution platforms. They will also serve to help us enhance owner and shareholder returns and attract more high-value guests to SPG who make up more than half of all Starwood stays.”

The first SPG partner hotels include the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York; Ten Bompas in Johannesburg, South Africa; the C-Hotel in Lake Como, Italy; Nira Montana in La Thuile, Italy; Nira Alpina in St. Moritz, Switzerland; and Kruisherenhotel Maastricht in the Netherlands. In addition, the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Iceland, the Tribe Hotel in Kenya as well as Grupo Habita’s hotels in Mexico will join before the end of the year.

In early 2016, member hotels of Design Hotels will join from major destinations, including London (Town Hall Hotel), Istanbul (Gezi Istanbul), Shanghai (The Waterhouse at South Bund), Athens (New Hotel), Singapore (Wanderlust), France (Les Bains) and South Korea (nest hotel).