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Series by Marriott enters U.S. with five FOUND conversions

A FOUND Hotels facade on a sunny city block, illustrating a conversion to Series by Marriott and emphasizing neighborhood character.
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5 min read

Marriott International and Hawkins Way Capital have signed deals to convert five FOUND Hotels to Series by Marriott, the company's newest collection brand. The urban and coastal properties in Miami, Santa Monica, San Francisco, Chicago, and San Diego are slated to join the portfolio over the next year, expanding Marriott Bonvoy access while preserving each hotel's local identity. The move marks the U.S. debut of Series by Marriott, which targets design-led, select-service hotels in prime locations.

Key Points

  • Why it matters: Series by Marriott makes its U.S. debut through five city-center FOUND conversions.
  • Travel impact: Bonvoy earning and redemption will come to these hotels while they keep their FOUND character.
  • What's next: Conversions are expected to phase in over the next 12 months across five high-demand markets.
  • Each site remains independently styled, aligned to Series by Marriott's flexible collection model.
  • Owner benefits include Marriott's revenue engines without erasing on-property branding.

Snapshot

Hawkins Way Capital, with operator FCL Management, will shift five FOUND Hotels into the Series by Marriott collection, bringing the brand stateside after its May 2025 global launch. Locations include Miami Beach, Chicago, San Francisco Nob Hill, Santa Monica, and San Diego. As the hotels affiliate, travelers should see Marriott Bonvoy earning and redemption, mobile app functionality, and distribution through Marriott channels. The properties will retain their FOUND identity, a key pillar of Series by Marriott's conversion-friendly approach that emphasizes fundamentals, consistent quality, and neighborhood feel. Expect staged cutovers market by market, with soft-brand standards layered onto existing operations rather than disruptive full reflags.

Background

Marriott introduced Series by Marriott on May 22, 2025 as a regional collection brand positioned between midscale and upscale, designed to bring strong local labels into the Bonvoy ecosystem while keeping their names and guest feel. The founding deal in India aligned The Fern portfolio to Series by Marriott, outlining the playbook of preserving brand equity while adding loyalty reach and global distribution. The U.S. entry via FOUND extends Marriott's wider push into lifestyle and conversion growth this year, complementing portfolio moves like the citizenM acquisition and new openings under its design-forward flags, including Marriott Finalizes citizenM Acquisition, Adds 37 Hotels and W Florence Opens Near Duomo: Marriott's New Lifestyle Hotel.

Latest Developments

Where the conversions are happening

Five FOUND properties are expected to affiliate with Series by Marriott over the next 12 months, concentrating coverage in leisure-and-business hubs where travelers prize walkable neighborhoods. The lineup includes FOUND Miami Beach, FOUND Chicago, FOUND San Francisco Nob Hill, FOUND Santa Monica, and FOUND San Diego. Each hotel already trades on compact, design-led rooms and social spaces near transit, dining, and culture. Under Series by Marriott, the hotels keep their existing identity and style, then add Bonvoy and Marriott's digital tools, reservations, and revenue platforms. For guests, the near-term changes center on booking channels and loyalty benefits, not wholesale renovations or name changes.

What changes for owners and travelers

Series by Marriott aims to give regional owners a conversion path that unlocks Marriott's scale while preserving neighborhood credibility. Owners can lean on Bonvoy's demand engine, merchandising, and mobile experience, while keeping the FOUND label and local programming. Travelers can expect reliable basics, consistent housekeeping and sleep standards, and access to Bonvoy points, redemptions, and member rates. Because Series is built for conversions, timelines tend to be faster and less disruptive than ground-up rebrands, with back-of-house systems, merchandising, and signage updated in phases as each market comes online.

Analysis

Marriott's decision to bring Series by Marriott into the U.S. through FOUND Hotels underscores a broader industry pivot toward flexible, conversion-friendly collections that protect local equity while scaling distribution. For Marriott, Series extends the company's reach into price-sensitive city stays where design and neighborhood access beat on-site extravagance. The five targeted markets offer dense demand from leisure weekends to midweek business, a sweet spot for select-service operations that monetize location and simplicity. Loyalty integration is the near-term win, since Bonvoy can shift share from third-party channels and raise repeat intent with member rates and redemptions. For travelers, the value proposition is familiar, centrally located hotels that feel local, now paired with Bonvoy benefits and the predictability of Marriott's standards. Execution will hinge on preserving the FOUND vibe while tightening service basics. If the phased cutovers land cleanly, Series could scale quickly in other U.S. metros where independent owners want distribution power without losing their name on the door.

Final Thoughts

Series by Marriott's U.S. launch via five FOUND conversions threads the needle between local character and global scale. Travelers get Bonvoy perks and consistent fundamentals, owners keep their identity, and Marriott extends its city-center footprint with minimal disruption. The model is built for speed and replication, so watch for additional signings in coastal and Sun Belt markets where independent hotels want loyalty reach without a full reflag. If performance lifts on both ADR and direct bookings, expect Series by Marriott to become a familiar option in more U.S. neighborhoods, strengthening the appeal of Series by Marriott.

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