It’s not uncommon to see hotels rebrand, either to be more or less premium. However, I’ve never seen a rebranding quite like this…
St. Regis becomes JW Marriott, then St. Regis again
On May 6, 2025, we’re seeing the opening of the St. Regis Le Morne Resort in Mauritius. In reality, this is simply a rebranding of the existing JW Marriott Mauritius Resort. What’s so funny here is that the JW Marriott Mauritius only opened in August 2021, as a rebranding of the previous St. Regis Mauritius.
I can’t think of another property that rebranded, only to then transition back to the original brand. That’s pretty interesting.
When the property rebranded the first time around (from St. Regis to JW Marriott) my assumption was that brand standards required some sort of property updates, and the owners didn’t want to pay. After all, why would any hotel owner otherwise want to downgrade to a less premium brand, and presumably only be able to charge lower rates? Right or wrong, branding matters…
So, what’s actually changing about this resort?
With the property now being “upgraded” from a JW Marriott to a St. Regis (after previously being “downgraded”), what should we actually expect to change? Here’s how the hotel officially describes the rebranding, in a statement:
“Transitioning to the St. Regis brand reflects our commitment to providing an elevated luxury resort option for visitors to the island. It allows us to expand our offerings and build the resort’s reputation among international luxury travellers.”
“The evolution of The St. Regis Le Morne Resort, Mauritius reflects the brand’s dedication to elevating the world’s most exclusive destinations, and our commitment to the growth of the St. Regis resort portfolio. Joining St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will allow guests to embrace the resort’s timeless glamour through the St. Regis hallmarks of personalised service and signature rituals. We look forward to ushering in this new chapter.”
Interestingly, it doesn’t sound like the hotel has undergone a major refresh, or anything. Instead, there’s just mention of “thoughtful enhancements,” including “elevating the dining experience at the signature Le Manoir restaurant.” Later this year, the resort’s oceanfront villa will also be reimagined as the St. Regis Grand Beachfront Villa.
We’ll also see the return of signature St. Regis service elements, ranging from the nightly champagne sabering (at 7PM), to the signature butler service, to the introduction of a local Bloody Mary cocktail.
All of this is a mystery to me — what caused the rebranding in the first place, and what caused it to then return to St. Regis? I haven’t heard great things about the state of this property in recent years, so one wonders…
Bottom line
In 2021, the St. Regis Mauritius was rebranded as the JW Marriott Mauritius. Now in 2025, the hotel is once again rebranding as a St. Regis. It’s odd, because as far as I can tell, no significant updates have been made to the property. That sure makes you wonder why the resort was rebranded in the first place, and why it’s now being rebranded yet again.
What do you make of this St. Regis Mauritius rebranding?
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