Marriott family to adopt Hotel Sax

December 4, 2013 – River North’s Hotel Sax will be managed next year by Marriott International. The 353-room hotel at Marina City will become one of Marriott’s “Autograph Collection” hotels. There are currently 55 hotels with that brand in the United States, Canada, Europe, Brazil, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Japan.

Catherine Leitner, director of public relations for Marriott, confirmed the change on Wednesday. The switch will happen in early February and Marriott will make an official announcement at that time.

“Until then the hotel is open and operating as normal,” said Leitner.

There is no official word about whether the hotel will change its name. Michael Barnello, CEO of LaSalle Hotel Properties, the real estate investment trust that owns Hotel Sax, politely declined comment.

Marriott’s website describes Autograph Collection as “a remarkable group of upper upscale and luxury independent hotels.” The target guest is an “individualist” who “prefers to find their own way and forge their own paths.”

According to Marriott, occupancy at Autograph Collection hotels last year was 73.1 percent. Average daily rate was $175.18 and revenue per available room was $128.12. LaSalle’s annual report does not break down figures by hotel but collectively its 40 hotels last year had an occupancy of 74.1 percent, average daily rate of $209.06, and revenue per available room of $154.88.

On April 17, 2012, it was announced that Texas-based Access Hotels & Resorts had taken over management of LaSalle’s hotel, one of two it owns in Chicago. Thompson Hotel Associates had managed Hotel Sax since November 30, 2009.

When LaSalle reported financial results of the second quarter in 2012, the expense of transitioning to new management at Hotel Sax was singled out, with Barnello saying the cost was “more than we expected.”

Purchased by LaSalle the year before, Hotel Sax opened in June 2007 following a $17 million renovation. Before that, House of Blues owned it.