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million members strong— plays in convincing hotel owners to place their property under the aegis of Hilton.“ It plays a major role,” she said.“ Being part of Curio provides owners access to a loyal, engaged audience actively seeking out Hilton hotels.” Consider Hotel Astoria Vienna, a classic landmark originally built in 1912, which was rebranded and reopened as part of Curio Collection in May 2025, becoming the first Curio hotel in Vienna.
Beyond built-in demand that comes from loyalty members, Thomas makes the case that an independent hotel turning to a soft brand is a cost saver in the long run.“ It can help ease operations for owners, which is especially relevant to many independent hotels,” she said.“ Owners gain stability, efficiency and access to a broader customer base, all while keeping the unique character that makes their property special.”
PLAYERS BALL Traditional lodging companies continue to crowd the space with new options for independent hotels. Beyond Curio, for instance, Hilton has three other soft brands; its latest, Outset Collection, was launched in October. And while soft-brand launches may be all the rage( Marriott International has six, including the recent Series by Marriott targeting the midscale and upscale segments), they are not only the creation of the conventional lodging company.
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In 1968, 12 independent North American hoteliers formed a referral organization née Preferred Hotels Association, which today is known as Preferred Hotels & Resorts, owned by the Ueberroth family and boasting more than 600 hotels globally. Preferred, along with peers including The Leading Hotels of the World, Relais & Châteaux and Small Luxury Hotels of the World, act like associations, offering independent hotels sales and marketing capabilities and higher visibility through their networks.
Traditional lodging companies have been encroaching on this territory for years, but companies like Preferred mainly focus on the luxury and high-end / high-style boutique segments,
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Shannon Knapp, president & CEO, The Leading Hotels of the World
eschewing properties in lower chain scales. Preferred has a segmented architecture— Legend, L. V. X., Lifestyle and Preferred Residences— which its Chief Development Officer Philipp Weghmann said allows the company to position hotels precisely and purposefully.
Weghmann recognizes the competition; he also relishes it.“ The luxury affiliation space has long been defined by a
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Villa Mara Carmel is a 16-room luxury boutique hotel that joined The Leading Hotels of the World in 2022.
handful of legacy soft brands. It’ s a highly competitive and tightly held segment,” he said.“ That reality only reinforces our strength and staying power.”
Preferred doesn’ t shy away from competition, looking at it as proof of the business model and, maybe most importantly, a shift in the way people want to travel, which plays right into their hands.“ This surge reflects a clear shift in
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16 hotelsmag. com Jan / Feb 2026 |