I just noticed today that Starwood Capital’s new Baccarat Hotels & Resorts launched their website at www.baccarathotels.com. Unfortunately, right now its nothing more than a placeholder with their logo and some emotional text which attempts to give a feel for the brand, along with a link to Baccarat’s first location Baccarat Wailea – not much now, but for a hotel whose first location isn’t scheduled to open for a few more years – its more than adequate.

Then i decided to check out Baccarat’s regular website, to see if they have updated that site to reflect their new hotel brand – they did!

If you go to Baccarat’s website – www.baccarat.com- they have added a “Hotels and Resorts” section, currently that section links to the Wailea site mentioned above, and a non-linked text that says “Turks and Ciacos (coming soon)”, and then if you click on the “Hotels and Resorts” link – it brings you to another site – www.baccarat.com/hotels.htmwhich lists the Wailea Site and also “Water Cay (To Come)”. Ah! It drives me crazy when hotel companies say “coming soon” etc – and leave you wanting more!

Lastly - I typed in www.baccaratwatercay.comto see where it links to – if anywhere – and it brings you right back to Baccarat.com.. Looks like that’s the site to watch for more information on Baccarat Water Cay (which i assume is in Turks and Caicos – anyone know for sure?)

Unlike other hotel companies (Andaz), Starwood Capital has launched websites for both their 1 Hotels & Baccarat Hotels brands – these websites, even though they may not say much can definitely help promote the brand so that when it launches, people already have a feel for the hotels. Andaz’s first hotel opening is in a mere 16 days and they have yet to activate its website. I don’t understand – doesn’t Hyatt have a marketing department?

Now all that’s left is for Starwood Capital to announce their plans for Crillon; I had heard that they would announce their plans and first locations by the end of October, so since there is only two more days left in the month – something should be announced soon.

andrew@alconic-inc.com