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Marriott
International will break the half-million guest room mark as the new London Marriott West India Quay in the city's trendy Canary Wharf area opens on
June 1. Offering travelers across the globe 18 brands to choose from and 2,700
properties in 69 countries, Marriott said it expects to open up to 95,000 additional rooms
through the next three years. And in 2004, Marriott's hotel property owners plan to
invest more than $1 billion in hotel upgrades, renovations and conversions
worldwide.
"As over the past 77 years, we continue to focus on growth," said J.W. Marriott,
Jr., chairman and chief executive officer. "Reaching 500,000 rooms is the result of
great partnerships with our owners and franchisees and the dedication of
thousands of associates all over the world. Working together, we continue to
combine quality and innovation with the industry's best people and service, and
we look forward to adding even more rooms and great locations in the years to
come."
Marriott's market share in the United States has increased from 3 percent in 1990
to more than 8 percent today. As the largest hotel management company in the
world, more than a quarter of Marriott's recent growth has been outside the United
States. Since 1990, the company's portfolio of properties outside the U.S. has
grown from 15 to nearly 550.
Across Marriott's portfolio of brands, new color schemes and residential touches
are being added to create stylish and inviting guest rooms, lobbies and restaurants that feature a wide range of both classical and contemporary designs.
While specific design components vary by brand and property location, many
include new décor packages, contemporary colors, enhanced bedding, and more
comfortable work areas.
Many of these touches can already be found at new properties, including the JW
Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in
Phoenix, the Renaissance Grand in St. Louis and the Renaissance Arts Hotel in
New Orleans. Other new properties include the 157-room Marriott Park Lane on
London's Hyde Park, which appeals to travelers who appreciate boutique hotels
yet expect five-star service and amenities, and the Berlin Marriott, standing across
the street from the Ritz-Carlton Berlin Potsdamer Platz.
In Beijing, in time for the 2008 Olympics, Marriott plans to open Ritz-Carlton and
JW Marriott hotels, to be located on the eastern edge of the Central Business
District on Changan Avenue, Beijing's most famous thoroughfare. |
