Marriott hits Half-Million Rooms mark

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.