Marriott Hotels has signed another deal to spread its City Express by Marriott hotel brand across Central and South America, with a seven property agreement in Brazil.
The move builds significant momentum for the City Express brand which, during the first half of 2025, executed a raft of expansion deals across the region. The latest move, with local partner Fabrica de Hoteis, will start with an initial seven hotels in northeast Brazil. Together, Marriott and its local partner have set a target of building the brand to 30 hotels in the region, over the coming years.
Growing from a strong base in Mexico
City Express was originally a miscale brand established in Mexico in 2002. The business grew consistently in Mexico since that time, to become a household name in the hotel segment. As part of its growth story, Hoteles City Express listed on the Mexican stock market in 2013.
Marriott bought the brand in 2022, with the clear aim of growing it internationally. At that point, the brand had 152 hotels, across 75 cities in Mexico and with the start of its international growth through a small presence in three more countries, Costa Rica, Chile and Colombia.
There were also five more planned developments, adding 676 more rooms to the portfolio. Marriott paid around USD100 million to acquire the business, including the portfolio of hotel brands: City Express, City Express Plus, City Express Suites, City Express Junior, and City Centro.
In early 2025, the brand launched in the USA, with plans to expand into Canada also. Deals have also been signed to add properties in Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Peru, while in June an agreement was cemented to launch in El Salvador. The additions mean City Express is now in five countries, with an additional six markets joining the portfolio, and a total of more than 60 signed projects.
“This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to combining Marriott’s global scale with local expertise—delivering efficient, high-quality accommodations and providing access to our powerful platforms and the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem,” said Federico Greppi, the chief of operations for Marriott across the CALA region.
“We believe hospitality is a driver of development,” added Tarcysio Malheiros, director of Fabrica de Hoteis. “City Express by Marriott in the Northeast is not just a new hotel — it’s the connection between a global brand and the region’s economic potential.”
Expansion into Nicaragua, Argentina
Today, the brand’s international expansion plans are already well under way, benefitting from the scale and capabilities of the Marriott development structure. City Express by Marriott Managua will open shortly in Nicaragua, where another City Express hotel is under construction in Esteli. The brand is also growing in Argentina, with a hotel being built in Puerto Iguazu.
Further ahead and in planning, the City Express brand will be coming to San Salvador, Santa Cruz in Bolivia, and Anelo in Argentina. And in Peru, there are plans to add two projects in the coastal city of Casma, with a dual branded scheme that will combine a City Express Plus, and City Express Suites, designed for long stay guests. Both of the hotels are expected to open in 2027.
