EDITION Hotels: Luxe Experience or Pricey Trend?

After diving into my Tokyo EDITION Toranomon and Tokyo EDITION Ginza reviews, an interesting debate popped up in the comments section. Something about the overall quality and worth of the EDITION brand seemed to prick people’s curiosity. Let’s take a closer look and see what OMAAT readers have to say on the matter.

What Marriott’s EDITION hotel brand is supposed to be

EDITION, one of Marriott’s 30-something hotel dynasties, tries to straddle the line between Ritz-Carlton’s opulence and W Hotels’ style. Imagine a swankier W Hotel or a Ritz for the young and hip. In the know, Ian Schrager, who once stirred up New York’s legendary Studio 54, birthed the brand in 2008. Fun fact: he’s no longer in the picture as of 2022, having parted ways with Marriott.

Even though it’s just over 15 years old, EDITION stands as a newcomer in the luxury hotel scene, despite being part of a big hotel conglomerate. At the moment, EDITION flaunts around 20 posh addresses worldwide, with another 10 budding in the pipeline.

They paint themselves as purveyors of “extraordinary style & exceptional service,” a boutique with a design flair. Their pitch? Each hotel is a unique reflection of its location — the anti-hotel chain, if you will.

Why have hotels that all look the same? From New York to China’s sunny Sanya, each getaway is crafted to immerse guests in the local scene. The result? A vibrant mix of one-of-a-kind stays catering to a modern luxury crowd.

My perception of what the EDITION hotel brand offers

Let me put it down straight — I’m not here to throw shade at EDITION. I’ve bunked at several over the years, and I have my favorites. But I’ll admit, the brand leaves me scratching my head about its true ambitions. Can its current concept and high price tags endure over time?

Here’s what flashes through my mind when EDITION comes into view:

• They’re all about dining. Their restaurants and bars are a hit with locals, which is great, but can sometimes put hotel service on the back burner.
• They’re not exactly a steal. The price? High. The perks? Sparse. Don’t expect free breakfast as a given, for instance.
• The décor screams minimalism, edging towards the low-cost route. Think bare walls and sparse furniture.
• They feel pretty cookie-cutter at times — little personality, lots of white walls.
• They claim top-tier service but, in reality, it’s a stretch. Staff? Lovely. Service? Not so much.

In my eyes, EDITION doesn’t live up to what it touts:

• “Boutique?” With over 200 rooms? Really?
• “Exceptional service?” Compared to what exactly?
• “Extraordinary style?” Is it, though?
• “The anti-hotel chain?” Feels like just another chain!

Honesty time: I’ll pop into an EDITION thanks to the loyalty program tie-in. Were it not for that, I might have skipped trying them altogether. The loyalty program treadmill can really pull you in.

That said — not all EDITIONs follow the same script. Take the Bodrum EDITION as a shining example, a beautiful showing of what the brand could embody. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Ginza EDITION? Stellar service. These places stand out not because they’re EDITIONs, but despite it — maintaining individuality over brand conformity.

How will the EDITION brand evolve over time?

I’m curious about EDITION’s future trajectory. It’s been in a kind of holding pattern, like “EDITION 1.0,” since it launched over 15 years ago. There’s been little in the way of evolution or design innovation, which spells trouble if you ask me. It’s just not a brand that screams “timeless.” Here’s why:

• The decor feels tired, almost vintage, and every new arena falls short of cutting-edge.
• The lifestyle hotel concept does have a generational target, and as times change, so must the brand — to either stay in tune with the same crowd or cater to the newcomers.
• The rooms charge premium rates without delivering the wow-factor service or uniqueness, often courting outsiders at their eateries more than their own guests.
• On many fronts, EDITION and Thompson present a similar deal — except Thompson respects elite perks, charges fairer rates, and adds a dash more artistry to their decor.

From the hotel owner’s standpoint, EDITION shines — budget-friendly in design, low on elite benefits, and your streams of income thanks to bustling eateries. But just as W Hotels had to undergo a polish to stay cool, EDITION might face a similar fight. It’s a tricky business, catering to the “it” crowd of a particular era.

Bottom line

Marriott’s EDITION brand puzzles me. It wants to be a more opulent W Hotels or Ritz-lite for the young set. But the gap between its claims and reality is wide. High prices and lukewarm offerings raise an eyebrow, especially when branded as the anti-chain with extraordinary style and service.

Maybe my perspective is off the mark, which is why I’m putting pen to paper here, to gather thoughts and feedback from the OMAAT community.

What’s your take on EDITION’s style and value?