This text is so alien to me as an non-native speaker...

[thincat]

The text below is so alien to me as a non-native speaker...
​

Autograph Collection[SUP]®[/SUP]
Launched in 2010, the Autograph Collection is a portfolio of independent hotels as unique as the guests who discover them. Iconic landmarks, boutique arts … each hotel is one of a kind like a great autograph, worthy of collecting. Remarkable destinations include the historic Casa Monica[SUP]®[/SUP] Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the new luxury hotel in the heart of the “Strip.”
AC Hotels by Marriott
Marriott’s newest brand, a joint venture with award-winning Spanish group AC Hotels, gives customers nearly 90 dynamic new choices in Europe. AC Hotels by Marriott launches with a portfolio of contemporary, moderately priced urban hotels in Spain, Italy and Portugal.

The above 2 paragraphs are retrieved from a hotel website:http://investor.shareholder.com/MAR/marriottAR10/lifestyle/index.html

Hi, everyone. I have some difficulties in comprehending these 2 paragraphs and I hope you can help me with the following questions I have:

1. In the first paragraph, what does portfolio mean? I do not know which choice to choose in a dictionary as all the choices seem cannot match its meaning.

2. What are iconic landmarks referring to? Are they referring to some “special” or noticeable buildings surrounding the hotels? Also, what is “boutique arts”?

3. I am a bit puzzled by the sentence: “each hotel is one of a kind like a great autograph, worthy of collecting”. How can I suppose to collect a hotel? Also, am I right to regard an “autograph” as a “signature” through this paragraph? If I am, why comparison can be made between a hotel and a signature? By the way, what meaning is added to the autograph by the word “great”?

4. What does the word “Strip” at the end of the first paragraph mean?

5. What is the meaning of a dynamic choice in the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] last line? Does it refer to a choice that can be altered?

6. In the sentence, “AC Hotels by Marriott launches with a portfolio of contemporary, moderately priced urban hotels in Spain, Italy and Portugal,” what firstly hinders my understanding is the word “portfolio” as in question 1. Could you rephrase the sentence for me? Thank you!

I know I have raised quite a number of questions in this post. I would appreciate it a lot you could still guide me to understand this passage more. Thank you in advance and I look forward to your replies.

 

[SoothingDave]

1. The idea of "portfolio" is a collection. An artist would have a portfolio of his works to show someone who was interested. This marketing spiel is trying to make the metaphor that these hotels are great works of art.

2. I believe they are saying that each hotel is a landmark and it is filled with art that is interesting and unique. "Boutique" is a small shop, so the implication is that something you get at a boutique is not some mass produced item that you can buy anywhere.

3. Yes, "autograph" is "signature." You collect them by staying at the properties. The point is that each is unique, like each person's signature is unique. "Great" modifies "signature." Each person's is unique, but if you have Thomas Jefferson's signature that is greater than having the signature of some random 18th century person.

4. The Strip in Las Vegas. Home to the most famous casinos.

5. No, this is more marketing speak. Each hotel is "dynamic" meaning full of energy and exciting.

6. "We also have some cheaper hotels in those countries under the name 'AC Hotels.'"

 

[BobK]

:up: Note especially 'this is more marketing speak'. Don't feel bad about finding this alien. Some words, like 'autograph', 'landmark', 'portfolio', even 'iconic' - are impregnated with more meaning than they usually have!

b

 

[SlickVic9000]

(not a teacher)

I think they may be utilizing a double meaning with the word "portfolio" here. Besides artwork, it also refers to a collection of investments (i.e. a stock portfolio). Note the address is 'investor.shareholder.com', so this is clearly about getting people to buy shares.