Hotel operator JW Marriott has confirmed the signing of a number of strategic partnerships with luxury brands as part of a bid to deliver an improved experience for its guests.

Aromatherapy Associates is one brand to enter into a partnership with JW Marriott, with the company's founder Geraldine Howard to advise travellers on the benefits of aromatherapy. Christie's; Tumi; Keri Glassman of Nutritious Life; and Etude Winery are the other brands to enter into a long-term partnership with JW Marriott.

Meanwhile, JW Marriott - the luxury division of Marriott International - has announced its plans to open 12 new locations across the world by the end of 2012. Four properties are to open this year - Anakara, Turkey; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Chandigarh and Bangalore in India, with a further eight earmarked to launch in 2012.

The remaining eight are Gaakoshibee, Maldives; Cusco, Peru; Seoul Dongdaemun Plaza in South Korea; Dubai Marquis, UAE; Hanoi, Vietnam; and three additional hotels in India. JW Marriott brand management vice president Mitzi Gaskins said: "Our JW Marriott brand is reserved for select luxury hotels in key gateway city and resort destinations.

"The majority of our properties are less than eight years old and we continue to expand the brand with the addition of some beautiful new hotels and resorts in some of the world's premier locations." Elsewhere, Marriott International and Spain-based operator AC Hotels have launched a new joint venture - AC Hotels by Marriott, which will see 85 existing properties rebranded.

The sites are located across Spain, Italy and Portugal and will now carry the AC Hotels by Marriott branding and forms part of Marriott International's European expansion strategy. AC Hotels chair and founder Antonio Catalan said: "We will together be aggressively pursuing development opportunities for AC Hotels by Marriott throughout Europe and Latin America."

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