The business that created the global hotel brand CitizenM has announced a rebranding, following its transfer of the brand rights to the Marriott International group.
From now on, the group will be renamed Another Star, a new identity that will continue with the same strategy as previously. The company will carry on owning and operating all of the CitizenM hotels, located in global gateway cities. It will also look for further opportunities to create more hotels for the CitizenM brand, expanding its presence around the world.
Now supported by Marriott
It was during April 2025 that Marriott revealed it had agreed to acquire the CitizenM brand, calling it “a unique and innovative offering in the select-service segment” that would add to the group’s lifestyle hotel segment offering. Marriott agreed to pay USD355 million for the brand and its connected intellectual property assets.
The transaction covered the entire CitizenM ecosystem. At that point, it included 36 operating hotels, with over 8,500 rooms, across city markets in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific. The deal also covered three pipeline properties, expected to add over 600 more rooms with openings scheduled for 2026.
At that point, the CitizenM business had been largely vertically integrated, with the brand, property assets and hotel management all arranged under one business, originally launched under the project name One Star is Born. The split saw Marriott sign franchise agreements on each hotel, leaving the original owners with the property assets, and responsibility for operating those properties as CitizenM hotels.
Concurrent with the renaming as Another Star, the group has revealed it completed a refinancing of debt. A new financing facility totalling USD685 million has been agreed with backers led by JP Morgan, and including longtime hotel investor KSL Capital Partners.
“We believe the company is well positioned for further growth,” said Chris Kosonen, managing director at JP Morgan. “We are proud to lead this landmark financing and to support a team with such a bold vision for the future of modern travel.”
European and US growth planned
Additional hotels under construction will be completing during 2026, in London and Washington DC. The UK capital already hosts two CitizenM hotels, in Bankside and Tower of London, with a third property being created at Olympia. The 146 room hotel will be part of the reinvigoration of the Olympia exhibition centre, being backed by Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International. A fourth CitizenM hotel is also in planning for London, with the former Saville Theatre expected to be converted to create another landmark CitizenM hotel, for opening in 2028.
In Washington DC, a 252 room hotel is well under construction and has a planned market launch during 2026. Located in Georgetown, it will be the brand’s third hotel in the city. And further ahead, there are plans to bring the CitizenM brand to Denver, Colorado with a development to create a 278 room hotel for opening in 2030.
