Marriott International ( MAR ), one of the world’s largest hotel chains, had a year of notable accomplishments and a few setbacks. The chain behind brands like The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and JW Marriott operate more than 30 brands and nearly 9,600 properties in 143 countries and territories.
In 2025, in a single quarter, Marriott added 120 properties and 17,903 rooms, focusing on its low-asset franchise segment, according to analyst Daniel Javier for Seeking Alpha. Luxury offerings remained a priority, with 26 new hotels opening in India and 1,900 rooms added to its portfolio.
However, Marriott has also faced controversy. In November, the Maasai ethnic group filed a lawsuit to demolish a new luxury Ritz-Carlton safari camp, claiming it blocks a key wildlife migration route in the Serengeti.
Meanwhile, a Fairfield by Marriott posted a sign saying free bottled water isn’t included, even for elite members, unless they select a “market item,” mocking online, according to TheStreet’s Veronika Bondarenko.
More recently, Marriott caused backlash from guests with a new ban.
The New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District drew guests’ attention thanks to a sign that said “Bench is for Marriott employees only.”
The hotel is located in a 19th-century warehouse, close to the French Quarter, the New Orleans Garden District and the Central Business District.
“Our downtown New Orleans hotel enjoys a prime location across from the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center. Host events from 26,636 square feet of renovated event space and settle in for the next day at our full-service Starbucks,” reads the description on the Marriott hotel page.
The benches in question are part of the common area of the hotel and are easily accessible by the public, which Marriott seems to prefer the public not to use. A sign stating that the benches are for employees only sits next to “No Smoking” and “No Whining” plastered on the red brick wall, writes The Travel.
Does the sign mean that hotel guests, regardless of their status, are not welcome to use the benches?
While the water bottle incident is clear, as the hotel giant clearly states that complimentary bottled water is not included unless guests select a “market item,” the sign designating employee-only benches is somewhat confusing.
Wing’s Gary Leff, a recognized expert on miles, points and business travel, believes the New Orleans Marriott’s “employees only” sign isn’t really about keeping guests out, but is meant to prevent loitering, smoking, panhandling and other security issues near the entrance.
“This sign is almost certainly not about guests. It’s in New Orleans. It’s about denial control. They also say NO LOITING and NO SMOKING. That means we’ve had people here who shouldn’t be here and we want them gone,” Leff writes to View from the Wing.
While the intention was to maintain security and staff space, the sign gives a faint impression of hospitality and could have been handled more tactfully with design changes such as split benches or better lighting.
Leff also notes that the sign is not ideal for either guests or staff because guests feel unwelcome and staff get a message that their escape area is on the sidewalk under a “No Escape” sign.
Online readers also weighed in on Marriott’s approach, providing insight into guest perceptions.
In the comments section of View from the Wing, one reader expressed frustration with the signage, noting that it may not effectively deter loitering. Although anecdotal, these reactions illustrate how guests perceive politics.
User Mantis wrote: “…Now there’s a sign, oh… that will definitely solve the problem.”
A user with a spontaneous username of “Comes to mind” suggested a more specific sign: “For currently registered employees and guests only.”
Other guests suggested that the hotel could have hired a doorman, while another noted that a sign is less expensive.
Overall, comments suggest that a world-class hotel brand such as Marriott could have handled the situation more subtly with alternative signage or layout changes.
While guest reactions to the new policies highlight challenges in hospitality and brand perception, Marriott’s broader business operations in 2025 confirm both resilience and growth. Despite the occasional controversy, the hotel giant continues to expand its portfolio, dominate new markets, launch special offers for its loyal members and deliver strong financial results.
-
Growth: Marriott added nearly 17,900 rooms in Q3 2025, hit a record high, and returned $3.1 billion to shareholders, according to Marriott’s Q3 Earnings Report.
-
International Power: International and high-end markets continued to outperform the US and Canada in terms of RevPAR, according to Marriott’s Q3 earnings report.
-
Residential extension: Marriott has expanded its branded residential portfolio in EMEA, signing nearly 20 new deals in 2025, according to Marriott’s official press release.
-
New Brands: Marriott launched Series by Marriott and reached 100 City Express signatures in the US and Canada. (Source:Marriott)
-
Plans for Africa: Marriott plans to add more than 50 properties and 9,000 rooms in Africa by 2027. (Source:Marriott)
-
No precipitation: Marriott ended its licensing deal with Sonder, which later filed for bankruptcy, causing customer and employee disruption, TheStreet reported.
-
Cost and loyalty pressures: Rising costs of loyalty programs and OTA commissions have challenged Marriott, prompting it to focus on direct bookings and perks, according to Deep Research Global.
-
Mixed market performance: International markets rose, while RevPAR in the US and Canada lagged in some quarters, according to Marriott’s Q3 earnings report.
-
Another process: In November, Marriott was sued again over land use, indigenous and cultural heritage disputes related to hotel developments, TheStreet reported.
Related: Holiday Inn cuts offer for key visitors
This story was originally published by TheStreet on December 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add TheStreet as a favorite source by clicking here.