Renaissance Hotels was founded as Ramada Renaissance in 1981, as an upscale brand of Ramada Inns. Hong Kong–based New World Development (NWD) acquired Ramada in 1989 and re-launched Renaissance Hotels as a separate brand. The brand was acquired by Marriott International in 1997. As of January 31, 2023, it has over 170 hotels worldwide.
Renaissance Hotels was founded in 1981 as Ramada Renaissance, an upscale division of Ramada Inns. The first property was located in Aurora, Colorado, outside Denver. Ramada's hotels and restaurants were sold to Hong Kong–based New World Development Ltd. in 1989 for $540 million. New World divided the Renaissance Hotels brand into a separate chain and developed Renaissance and Ramada as independent hotel brands; the U.S. rights to the Ramada name were sold to Prime Hospitality, and the former Ramada Corp. was renamed Aztar Corp.
In 1993, New World Development acquired the Stouffer Hotels & Resorts chain, comprising 40 hotels, from Nestle for an estimated $1.5 billion. New World Development licensed the Stouffer Hotels brand for three years, and 28 U.S. Stouffer properties were reflagged as Stouffer Renaissance during a transitional period lasting until 1996. The Stouffer Presidente hotels in Mexico became Inter-Continental hotels.
On September 27, 1995, New World Development (NWD) took its management and franchising company public, listing it on the New York Stock Exchange, and created a new company called Renaissance Hotel Group N.V.. It operated the New World, Renaissance, and Ramada International hotel brands. New World Development retained ownership of many of the individual hotel structures through CTF Holdings, a private company owned by the Cheng family, the owner of the NWD group.
On February 18, 1997, Marriott International bought Renaissance Hotel Group N.V. from NWD for US$1billion. The deal expanded Marriott's presence in fast-growing Asian markets. The Marriott announcement came only a few weeks after Renaissance Hotel Group N.V. had tentatively agreed to be sold to the rapidly expanding Doubletree Corp. However, Marriott surpassed Doubletree's $890-million offer. The Marriott acquisition did not include the Stouffer Hotels brand. The Ramada International brand was included in the acquisition.
Renaissance Hotel Group N.V. operated and franchised 150 hotels, 35 of them based in the United States. Marriott had 1,035 hotels based in the U.S. and 75 additional hotels operating outside the U.S. The acquisition of the Renaissance and Ramada portfolio by Marriott expanded its global footprint. In September 2004, Marriott sold the Ramada International brand to Cendant Corp., today known as Wyndham.
Accommodations
Historical
US
Non-US
Total
2006
Properties
135
Rooms
48,051
2007
Properties
70
70
140
Rooms
25,942
22,817
48,759
2008
Properties
74
65
139
Rooms
27,425
21,615
49,040
2009
Properties
77
64
141
Rooms
28,569
21,664
50,233
2010
Properties
76
68
144
Rooms
27,939
22,720
50,659
2011
Properties
78
74
152
Rooms
28,880
23,737
52,617
2012
Properties
77
76
153
Rooms
28,248
24,692
52,940
2013
Properties
74
77
151
Rooms
26,840
24,711
51,551
2014
Properties
76
81
157
Rooms
27,239
25,368
52,607
From 2015
North America
Europe
Middle E. & Africa
Asia & Pacific
Caribbean Latin Am.
Total
2015
Properties
82
36
3
31
8
160
Rooms
27,359
8,632
921
12,116
2,565
51,593
2016
Properties
84
36
4
31
8
163
Rooms
28,038
8,548
1,076
11,899
2,565
52,126
2017
Properties
86
36
5
33
8
168
Rooms
28,510
8,563
1,388
12,271
2,565
53,297
2018
Properties
88
36
4
39
8
175
Rooms
29,104
8,564
1,233
13,633
2,565
55,099
2019
Properties
86
34
4
42
9
175
Rooms
28,597
8,049
1,035
14,535
2,745
54,961
2020
Properties
87
33
4
43
9
176
Rooms
28,880
7,846
1,035
14,972
2,745
55,478
2021
Properties
85
31
5
43
9
173
Rooms
28,091
7,262
1,293
14,733
2,745
54,124
2022
Properties
89
27
5
44
9
174
Rooms
28,998
6,307
1,476
14,791
2,745
54,317
2023
Properties
88
28
5
45
9
175
Rooms
28,041
6,491
1,476
14,505
2,745
53,258
Properties and locations
The Ramada Renaissance brand began with large hotels in major urban centers. However, as Marriott has decided to expand their "lifestyle" collection, including the Renaissance brand, the hotels can be found in 176 locations globally.
Cincinnati, United States: The Bartlett Building was once the tallest building in the state of Ohio when it was first built. It was repurposed as the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel in 2014.
Columbus, United States: The Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel opened as the Columbus Plaza Hotel in 1963. Marriott assumed management of the property as a Renaissance in 2006.
Dallas, United States: The Renaissance Dallas Hotel, notable for its elliptical and diagonal roofline, opened in 1983 as a Wyndham, before Marriott assumed management as a Renaissance in 1997.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel formerly consisted of two separate wings joined by a podium structure. In 2023, the East Wing was converted into a separate hotel, the Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur City Centre, with Renaissance retaining the West Wing.
The Battle House Hotel is one of the earliest steel frame buildings in Alabama. The current structure dates back to 1908 following the destruction of the First Battle House Hotel, whose history can be traced back prior to the American Civil War. After a two-year restoration, it was reflagged as The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa in 2007.
Nashville, United States: The Renaissance Nashville Hotel was one of the Stouffer Hotels properties taken over by Renaissance following its purchase by New World Development.
Newport Beach, United States: The Renaissance Newport Beach Hotel, originally opened as the Fairmont Newport Beach, is located adjacent to John Wayne Airport. It was rebranded as a Renaissance in 2017.
Reno, United States: The Renaissance Reno opened as a casino hotel called Holiday in 1956, though it is no longer a casino today.
Schaumburg, United States: In July 2014, the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel gained notoriety for hosting the Tumblr-inspired DashCon convention, which had a number of issues between its organizers, attendees, and the alleged non-payment of the venue fee to the hotel.
Chicago, United States: The historic Blackstone Hotel, known for hosting many U.S. presidents, was operated as the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel from 2008 to 2017, when it was transferred to the Autograph Collection brand.
The Ilikai Hotel & Luxury Suites was managed by Renaissance between 2000 and 2006. It is known for being the first luxury high rise hotel in Hawaii and for being seen in the opening credits of the TV series Hawaiian Five-O.
The St Pancras London Hotel forms the frontispiece of St Pancras railway station. Opening in 2011, it occupies the former St Pancras Chambers railway offices, itself formerly a hotel called the Midland Great Hotel, which existed between 1873 and 1935.
Renaissance managed the Grade II-listed Chancery Court Hotel from 2000 to 2011. It is currently managed by Rosewood.
Miami Beach, United States: The Eden Roc Miami Beach Hotel was operated by Renaissance from 2005 to 2013, when disagreements between Marriott and the owners led to the former exiting the venture.
Renaissance managed the Stanford Court Hotel between 1993 and 2013, having inherited it from Stouffer Hotels.
The Parc 55 San Francisco opened as a Ramada Renaissance in 1984. It left the chain in 1989, joined Renaissance again in 1998, before leaving for good in 2007.
St. Louis, United States: The Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel was previously branded the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel from 2002 to 2009, when it was closed due to a non-payment dispute between the owners and bondholders.
St. Petersburg, United States: The historic Vinoy Hotel was branded a Renaissance following the New World Development purchase of Stouffer Hotels. It became an Autograph Collection hotel in 2023.
Washington, D.C., United States: The Mayflower Hotel was inherited by New World Development following its purchase of Stouffer Hotels. It was a branded a Renaissance from 1993 to 2015, when it was moved to the Autograph Collection.
See also
Rosewood Hotel Group, another hotel group, established by Renaissance Hotels former owner New World Development
↑"Management discussion and analysis of the group performance". 1995 Annual Report(PDF). Hong Kong: New World Development. 1995. p.21. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 27, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
↑Piscia, Jason (August 26, 2005). "Renaissance cuts Marriott ties / New name will be President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center". State Journal-Register.
