Duet Hotels – Holiday Inn Express to Marriott Brand Conversions

Background

In 2018, Duet Hotels embarked on a strategic repositioning of four Holiday Inn Express properties in India. The goal was to upgrade their assets into Marriott’s mid-scale portfolio, three Fairfield by Marriott hotels and one Four Points by Sheraton, in order to improve performance, strengthen distribution, and appeal to a broader customer base.

Duet appointed Ascentis to deliver the projects under our Design and Build model, giving us end-to-end responsibility for design, procurement, and construction. This approach simplified governance, reduced layers of approvals, and fast-tracked delivery without compromising on brand standards or cost control.

Challenges & Solutions

Adapting Existing Layouts

Holiday Inn Express properties were designed with a lean, limited-service model. To convert them to Marriott brands, significant design modifications were needed. Our team reconfigured public areas and back-of-house spaces to align with brand requirements while working within the constraints of existing structures.

Brand Compliance

Marriott’s standards for Fairfield and Four Points differ significantly from Holiday Inn Express. By negotiating directly with Marriott on behalf of Duet, we agreed on practical adaptations that maintained brand integrity while optimising cost and timeline.

Budget Governance

Traditional itemised BOQs often delay projects and create cost overruns. We implemented a cost + fee billing model tied to Duet’s overall budget, ensuring transparency and that all projects remained under budget.

Delivery

Fairfield by Marriott, Ahmedabad

54 keys | 8 months | $464,000

Four Points by Sheraton, OMR Chennai

136 keys | 9 months | $950,000

Fairfield by Marriott, MWC Chennai

116 keys | 8 months | $530,000

Fairfield by Marriott, Hyderabad

232 keys | 8 months | $528,000

Outcomes

All four conversions were delivered in under 9 months, a significant achievement for brand conversion projects of this scale. The hotels relaunched with upgraded interiors, modern services, and full compliance with Marriott’s brand standards. The programme demonstrated how the Design and Build model can fast-track delivery, streamline decision-making, and provide cost certainty — ultimately unlocking stronger asset performance for Duet Hotels.