A survey of American and Canadian marketers by Toronto agency Cundari found Ritz-Carlton to be the best-managed hotel brand in North America.
Ritz-Carlton outperformed its competition in areas such as renowned history, loyal following, clear and attractive brand personality, clear and meaningful positioning and delivery on brand promise.
Among Canadian respondents, W Hotels, Four Seasons, Fairmont and Hyatt joined The Ritz-Carlton in the top five, while American respondents preferred Four Seasons, W Hotels, Westin and Marriott after The Ritz-Carlton.
Cundari president and chief strategy officer Garry Lee said that the recession has created a new kind of affluent consumer, one that is "more discerning than ever before, more tech savvy, and wants every detail put in front of them. They expect more out of their luxury brands."
The study was conducted online among members of the American Marketing Association and the Canadian Marketing Association and consisted of 1,905 online interviews evaluating 16 luxury and premium hotel brands that have a presence in both Canada and the U.S.