Marriott to expand Hotel Portfolio in France

Marriott International is to open three additional Courtyard by Marriott hotels in France over the next 36 months. When opened, these three properties will join two existing Courtyard by Marriott-branded hotels in Paris and a third one that is planned to open in 2009 at Toulouse-Blagnac International Airport in France. The new hotels are the:

• 150-room Courtyard by Marriott St. Denis Pleyel, in suburban Paris and scheduled to open in 2009.
• 170-room Courtyard by Marriott Arcueil in suburban Paris and planned to open in 2010.
• 210-room Courtyard by Marriott Marseille Euromed Center, slated for opening in 2011.

Development of the two new Courtyard by Marriott hotels in the Parisian suburbs is consistent with Marriott International’s Courtyard development plan for France that was launched in 2004 and resulted in the opening in 2006 of the Courtyard by Marriott Colombes. The Colombes property was specially designed to appeal to European travelers and offers a flexible, open lobby area and bar, restaurant serving three meals daily and limited conference space. The Marseille Courtyard reflects local market demands and includes sizeable conference space.

“We are excited to continue to expand our hotel presence in France and especially to grow our Courtyard brand representation in the country,” said Arne Sorenson, chief financial officer for Marriott International and president of Continental European lodging. “We see tremendous opportunity for our mid-tier Courtyard brand in France and are delighted that we were able to accommodate the needs of the Marseille market in their massive redevelopment project with this Courtyard hotel.”

Courtyard by Marriott St. Denis Pleyel

The Courtyard by Marriott St. Denis Pleyel will be part of a larger development that includes 58,000 square meters of office space and a residential area located near a Metro station at the intersection of the A1 and A86 highways, giving easy access to the airports of Greater Paris. In its immediate vicinity, a major cinema production complex, the European Cinema City, is under construction and is expected to be one of the largest and most technologically advanced film production facilities in Europe when it opens in 2009.

When opened, the hotel will offer a lobby lounge and a casual restaurant serving three meals daily. During seasonal weather, the restaurant will have 50 outdoor seats. Additional amenities include a 43-square meter fitness room, business lounge including an Internet corner in the lobby and The Market offering sundries and quick snacks for travelers on-the-go. In-room amenities will include a coffee/tea maker, high speed Internet access, in-room mini-refrigerator and flat-screen TVs.

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Arcueil

The Courtyard by Marriott Paris Arcueil is part of one of the largest real estate development projects currently underway in Greater Paris, Les Portes d’Arcueil, and will be located just south of the Paris “peripherique”. Les Portes d’Arcueil covers an area of approximately 35 acres and will include a 50,000-square meter shopping mall, 500 apartments and about 97,000-square meters of office space. The hotel will be part of a mixed-use building that will include a 2,750-square meter cinema below the hotel.

Amenities at the hotel will include a lobby lounge/bar and a breakfast area, a 60-square meter fitness area, an internet library service, in-room high-speed Internet access and mini-refrigerator, and The Market offering sundries and snacks for travelers on-the-go.

Courtyard by Marriott Marseille Euromed Center

Located within the mixed-use Marseille Euromed Center, the Courtyard by Marriott Marseille is part of a major urban redevelopment project spread over a site along the Marseille cruise ship harbor, in the Joliette area of Marseille. In addition to the hotel, Euromed Center is planned to include approximately 45,000-square meters of office space, a 10,500-square meter/14 screen multiplex cinema and entertainment center, a 7,000-square meter park, approximately 2,300-square meters of retail space, an independent 1,500-square meter meeting and conference facility and an event hall capable of accommodating 2,000 persons.

For dining and entertainment, the hotel will offer a casual restaurant serving three meals daily and a lobby lounge. An outdoor terrace will be available for al fresco dining during seasonable weather. Guest rooms will offer in-room high speed Internet access, coffee/tea maker and mini-refrigerator. For recreation, the hotel will have an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness room.

For conferences, the hotel will have 550 square meters of flexible space include a 320-square meter main meeting room which can be divided into five sections and 230-square meters of space consisting of two individual meeting rooms, each divisible into two sections. Additional amenities at the hotel include an Internet corner in the lobby and The Market offering sundries and snacks for travelers on-the-go.

In addition to the three Courtyard by Marriott hotels mentioned above, a fourth Renaissance-branded hotel is under development in Paris. It is the 118-room Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel which is scheduled to open in 2009.

When all hotels are opened by 2011, the Marriott International portfolio in France will consist of 14 properties spanning three lodging brands.

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