Who Owns Sheraton?

Marriott International owns Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. The company acquired Sheraton in 2016 through its $13.6 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. In November 2025, Sheraton launched its “Goodnight Room” campaign as part of an ongoing brand refresh that includes redesigned lobbies, soundproof work booths, and upgraded guest rooms.

Sheraton Hotels Products and Services

Who Owns Sheraton Hotels and Resorts

Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) holds full ownership of the Sheraton brand. The acquisition came through Marriott’s $13.6 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels and Resorts in September 2016.

Before that deal closed, Sheraton had passed through two other parent companies. ITT Corporation bought the brand in 1968, and Starwood Hotels acquired ITT Sheraton in 1998 for $13.3 billion.

Sheraton Under Marriott International

Sheraton now sits within Marriott’s “Classic Premium” tier alongside Marriott Hotels, Delta Hotels, and Marriott Vacation Club. Anthony G. Capuano, who became CEO in 2021, has overseen ongoing renovation programs across the Sheraton portfolio.

Sheraton Hotels Mission Statement and Brand Vision

Marriott International’s stated mission is “to enhance the lives of our customers by creating and enabling unsurpassed vacation and leisure experiences.” Its vision is “to be the world’s favorite travel company.”

Sheraton positions itself as “the world’s gathering place,” a tagline that reflects its emphasis on public spaces, meeting facilities, and community-oriented hotel design. The 2021 brand refresh centered on redesigned lobbies, tech-enabled meeting studios, and new food and beverage concepts.

The company’s core values — putting people first, pursuing excellence, embracing change, acting with integrity, and serving the world — apply across all 30+ brands in the Marriott International portfolio.

Sheraton Origin, Founders and Early Years

Henderson and Moore: The Harvard Classmates

Ernest Henderson and Robert Moore founded Sheraton in 1937 after merging the International Equities Corporation with Standard Investing Corporation. Their first acquisition was the Stonehaven Hotel in Springfield, Massachusetts — a converted apartment complex they turned into a hotel.

How the Chain Grew

They bought the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston in 1941 and continued acquiring properties along the East Coast. In 1945, Sheraton became the first hotel company to list on the New York Stock Exchange. By 1949, Henderson and Moore had expanded into Canada. In 1956, they purchased the Eppley Hotel Company, then the largest privately held hotel chain in the U.S., for $30 million.

International expansion followed in the early 1960s with hotels in Tel Aviv and Caracas. In 1985, Sheraton became the first Western hotel brand to open a property in China — the Great Wall Sheraton in Beijing, which also received management rights for tourism at the Great Wall site.

Largest Shareholders of Marriott International

How Did Sheraton Get Its Name?

The name came about by accident. When Henderson and Moore acquired their third hotel in Boston in 1939, it had a large illuminated rooftop sign reading “Hotel Sheraton.” Replacing the sign would have been expensive, so the founders decided to adopt the name for their entire chain instead.

The word “Sheraton” itself traces back to Thomas Sheraton, an 18th-century English furniture designer known for clean lines and classical ornamentation. His style was popular enough to become a household term for a category of furniture by the 1800s. Whether the original Boston hotel was named after the furniture style or something else entirely is unclear, but Henderson and Moore kept it regardless — and the name stuck for nearly nine decades.

Other hotel chains in the same era, such as Hilton, drew their names directly from founders. Sheraton’s accidental naming gave it a distinct identity separate from any single person.

Who Is on the Board of Directors for Marriott International

Since Marriott International owns Sheraton, the brand falls under Marriott’s board governance. As of February 2025, the board has 13 members, 10 of whom are independent directors.

Leadership and Family Directors

Finance and Corporate Strategy

Consumer, Retail and Technology

Media, Government and Consulting

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