Who Owns Sheraton Hotels? Current Owner and Full History

If you’re asking who owns Sheraton Hotels, the answer is Marriott International. Marriott acquired the Sheraton brand in 2016 as part of its $13 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Today Sheraton operates 431 hotels across more than 70 countries under Marriott’s ownership.

Who Owns Sheraton Hotels: The Current Owner Explained

Marriott International is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker MAR and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. It is the largest hotel company in the world by room count, running more than 30 brands across roughly 9,000 properties globally.

Sheraton sits within Marriott’s upper-upscale tier. Not mid-range, not ultra-luxury  it targets business travelers, corporate groups, and mid-to-large resort guests. By room count, it ranks as the third-largest brand in Marriott’s entire portfolio and the largest outside North America.

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Owning the Brand Is Not the Same as Owning Every Building

This is the part most people miss. When Marriott “owns” Sheraton, that means Marriott owns the brand  the name, the service standards, the design guidelines, the reservation systems, the loyalty integration. It does not automatically mean Marriott owns the physical building at every Sheraton address.

Most individual Sheraton properties are owned by outside investors: private equity firms, real estate investment trusts, regional developers, or family-run hospitality groups. Those owners then work with Marriott in one of two primary ways. 

Under a franchise agreement, the owner licenses the Sheraton name, follows brand standards, and operates the hotel themselves while paying Marriott ongoing fees. Under a management contract, Marriott takes over daily operations on behalf of the owner, who retains the real estate.

Marriott does directly own some properties, but that’s the exception. The company’s strategy has consistently been asset-light: earn fees from franchises and management contracts rather than tie up capital in buildings. So at most Sheraton hotels, Marriott is the brand and operator. Someone else holds the deed.

Sheraton’s Ownership History: From Its Founders to Marriott

The brand changed hands three times before landing with Marriott. Each era shifted its direction.

Founded by Henderson and Moore (1937)

Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore established the chain through Standard Equities Corporation, a real estate investment vehicle. The Sheraton name was adopted almost by chance their third acquired property had a large existing “Sheraton” sign, and they kept it. That was that.

In 1945 Sheraton became the first hotel company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. By the 1960s the chain had expanded into Canada, Israel, Venezuela, and the Philippines. Henderson’s death in 1967 left no obvious successor, which put the company in play.

ITT Corporation Acquires Sheraton (1968)

International Telephone and Telegraph  ITT bought Sheraton in 1968. ITT was a large industrial conglomerate looking for recognizable consumer brands. Under its ownership, Sheraton made one of its most consequential strategic shifts: away from directly owning hotel buildings and toward franchising and management contracts. 

That model is now standard across the industry.ITT also introduced the Sheraton Luxury Collection in 1992, separating its highest-end properties into a distinct tier that would later become its own standalone Marriott brand.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Takes Over (1998)

Starwood acquired ITT Sheraton in 1998 for $13.3 billion, outbidding Hilton. The deal brought Sheraton together with Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, and several other brands under the Starwood umbrella.

Under Starwood, Sheraton expanded aggressively especially in Asia, where the brand built genuine prestige. The Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program earned a strong reputation among frequent travelers during this period, and that goodwill traveled with the brand into the next acquisition.

Marriott Acquires Starwood and Sheraton (2016)

Marriott completed its purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in September 2016. The transaction made Marriott the world’s largest hotel company by room count and folded Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, and other Starwood brands into Marriott’s existing portfolio.

Starwood ceased to exist as an independent entity. Its Starwood Preferred Guest program was merged into Marriott Bonvoy in 2019. For Sheraton specifically, Marriott’s ownership meant access to a significantly larger distribution network and tighter brand standardization but also an honest reckoning with property quality that had slipped in parts of the U.S.

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Where Sheraton Sits in Marriott’s Brand Portfolio

Marriott operates more than 30 distinct hotel brands. Within that structure, Sheraton occupies the upper-upscale tier alongside Westin and Delta Hotels above mid-range options like Courtyard by Marriott, but clearly below the luxury segment occupied by Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis.

Two brand extensions are worth knowing about. Sheraton Grand is a sub-brand introduced in 2015 designating stronger-performing Sheraton hotels in prime urban or resort destinations. Four Points by Sheraton is a separate brand altogether select-service, simpler amenities, lower price point, aimed at a different type of traveler. Same brand family on paper; meaningfully different product in practice.

All Sheraton properties are integrated into Marriott Bonvoy. Members earn and redeem points at Sheraton hotels just as they would at any other Marriott-family brand, and elite tier status carries across the full portfolio.

Sheraton’s Renovation Challenge Under Marriott

Marriott was notably candid after the Starwood acquisition: Sheraton’s U.S. portfolio had inconsistent quality. Some properties were dated, guest satisfaction scores were uneven, and the brand needed work. Companies rarely say this plainly about something they just spent billions acquiring. Marriott did.

The response was a multi-year transformation plan. U.S. property owners committed to an estimated $500 million in renovations. Globally, roughly 25 percent of Sheraton hotels had pledged renovation investment at the time of announcement.

The international side of the brand has generally fared better. In Asia and the Middle East, Sheraton carries real prestige the name means something to travelers in those markets. Domestically in the U.S., the recovery has been slower and more uneven. That gap is worth understanding if the Sheraton name is what’s guiding a booking decision.

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Conclusion

Marriott International owns Sheraton Hotels. Most individual properties are owned by outside investors operating under franchise or management agreements with Marriott. The brand passed through ITT and Starwood before the 2016 acquisition, and today it ranks as Marriott’s most globally distributed brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Marriott own every Sheraton hotel building?

No. Marriott owns the Sheraton brand. Most individual properties are owned by third-party investors who operate under a franchise agreement or a Marriott management contract.

Is Sheraton part of Marriott Bonvoy?

Yes. All Sheraton hotels participate in Marriott Bonvoy. Points, redemptions, and elite status all apply at Sheraton properties the same way they do across other Marriott brands.

What happened to Starwood Hotels & Resorts?

Starwood was acquired by Marriott in 2016 and no longer exists as an independent company. All its major brands  including Sheraton, Westin, and W Hotels continue operating under Marriott.

Is Sheraton a luxury or 5-star hotel chain?

Not uniformly. Sheraton is classified as upper-upscale, one tier below luxury. Property quality varies significantly by location. It is worth checking individual property reviews rather than assuming a consistent standard.

Who owned Sheraton Hotels before Marriott?

Starwood Hotels & Resorts owned Sheraton from 1998 to 2016. ITT Corporation owned it from 1968 to 1998. Before ITT, founders Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore ran the chain from its 1937 founding.