Barbara Malone says the key to success for the Hotel Sorrento, an independent hotel in Seattle that she owns with her husband, has been to “stay true to the hotel’s DNA as a community builder,” offering music and literary events. — Photo by Jenny Riffle for The New York Times

This should be the heyday of independent hotels, which by their very nature offer the distinctive experiences sought by many travelers.

Instead, they are up against huge hotel companies with deep pockets as well as competitors on Airbnb. The result? More independent hotels are either joining the big chains or shutting their doors.

Thirty years ago, about two-thirds of all hotels were independent, according to the hotel data company STR. Today, less than 40 percent are independently owned and run.

One of the biggest reasons independent hotels are disappearing is that they're getting acquired by the large hotel companies or joining them as affiliates to tap into their marketing power.

Read the full article at The New York Times