Sheila Johnson’s Salamander DC hotel is in talks to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection.
Johnson is the first Black woman to achieve a billion-dollar net worth, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Her wealth stems from various business moves, including co-founding Black Entertainment Television (BET). She also has a stake in the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA’s Washington Wizards, and the NHL’s Washington Capitals, per Forbes.
Salamander Hotels & Resorts
Johnson’s also leads Salamander Hotels & Resorts, a privately owned and operated company launched in 2005. According to its website, the company manages and develops hotels, resorts, and inns.
“Rather than follow the cookie-cutter strategy of her competitors, Sheila and her team decided to acquire, manage and develop properties known for their unique approach to hospitality — preferring to nurture, foster and enhance their singularity, instead of muting it,” according to a statement shared on Salamander Hotels & Resorts’ website.
Salamander Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio includes:
In Talks To Be Acquired
New updates appear to be in the works, particularly for the Salamander’s Washington, D.C.-based hotel. According to The Washington Business Journal, the hotel is in talks to be acquired by Marriott’s Autograph Collection, through a partnership between private equity real estate firm Henderson Park and Salamander Collection. The Autograph Collection is a group of distinctive and independent hotels, per the company’s website.
The talks come two years after the location underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation, according to The Grio.
“Henderson Park and Salamander Collection collectively determined that the hotel, because of its size and location, would benefit from additional reach and loyalty points of a large brand,” a spokesperson said, according to The Grio. “As part of this transition, Henderson Park and Salamander Collection also agreed that a new manager should have deep experience running city hotels under the Marriott flag, and therefore it is proposed that Salamander will transition out of the hotel.”
The hotel is expected to continue accepting reservations during the transition in ownership, reports The Grio.
