BET Co-Founder Sheila Johnson’s Flagship D.C. Hotel Reportedly Exploring Marriott Partnership Just Four Years After Salamander Relaunch

Sheila Johnson

BET Co-Founder Sheila Johnson’s Flagship D.C. Hotel Reportedly Exploring Marriott Partnership Just Four Years After Salamander Relaunch

Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Washington DC is in talks to rebrand as a Marriott property, according to a report by the Washington Business Journal.

Johnson and London-based private equity firm Henderson Park acquired the 373-room luxury hotel — formerly the Mandarin Oriental — in September 2022 for $139 million, relaunching it under the #Salamander Collection name. A Marriott affiliation would give the Southwest waterfront property access to one of the world’s largest hotel distribution and loyalty systems, though which tier within Marriott’s brand portfolio it might carry has not been disclosed. Neither Salamander nor #Marriott International commented by publication time.

Since taking over, Johnson has invested significantly in the property. A two-level Salamander Spa opened in December 2024, and celebrity chef Kwame Onwuachi launched Dogon, an Afro-Caribbean restaurant that was named one of Washington’s top two best restaurants by Washingtonian magazine in 2025. The hotel holds a #Forbes four-star and AAA four-diamond designation. #SheilaJohnson founded Salamander Hotels and Resorts in 2005 and previously co-founded Black Entertainment Television, which was sold to Viacom for nearly $3 billion.