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Starwood and Marriott Introduce 'Telepresence' Systems

| June 30, 2009 at 9:31 AM | 0 Comments

Ha! We don't know if this is a coincidence or what, but both Starwood and Marriott announced today that they'll be introducing hi-tech "telepresence" systems in many of their hotels. Both hotel giants are promising these teleconferencing systems in select rooms (within select hotels) that give business travelers an "in-person meeting experience."

Telepresence, according to the Hotel Check-In blog, involves "multiple, 65-inch HD monitors that show life-size images" — and the AT&T versions of these Matrix-y things are going into big city Marriotts. Per Hotel Check-In:

Marriott agreed to install AT&T's Telepresence systems in 25 hotels across the globe in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Shanghai, Frankfurt and London. The systems will go into a mix of Marriott, J.W. Marriott and Renaissance hotels. Marriott expects some will be up and running by late October.

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Marriott Will Kick Off Its Free Night Promotion on Monday

| June 19, 2009 at 4:46 PM | 0 Comments

Anything for "free" will always get our attention so when we heard that Marriott Hotels would be kicking off its Free Night Stay promotion on Monday, we had to see what this was all about. And guess what? That free night stay can be yours but you will have to work at it a little.

When staying at a Marriott hotel in a city, you get the third night free when you book a minimum of three consecutive weekend nights (Thursday-Sunday.) But don't book that trip to New York or Toronto just yet. The offer is not good at continental U.S. or Canadian properties. However, it does apply to international cities like Berlin, Moscow and Paris (which has the pink-tastic Renaissance Arc de Triomphe.) In London, the free night is available mid-week only with three consecutive nights stay.

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Up Next in Room Key Technology: Proximity-Based Keycards?

Where: 400 Pencader Way [map], Newark, DE, United States, 19716

| June 19, 2009 at 11:56 AM | 2 Comments

Most of our talk about hotel key cards lately has concerned whether they're recyclable or not, but the whole "ease of use" factor is a pretty important to us, too. They can be fiddly things when you have to insert them a particular way or swipe them at just the right speed, and we've been frustrated by them more than once.

Thankfully, over at the X Room at the Courtyard Newark University of Delaware, the prototype room where they try out lots of new gadgets on real guests, they are looking carefully at proximity-based keycards. With these, we won't need to worry about inserting them in the right direction or even finding them in our bags: just holding them vaguely near the door should open it, and the X Room people are also considering using this technology to sign restaurant checks and access other hotel services, like gyms or pools.

This is the kind of technology trial that makes experimental rooms like the X Room useful – much better than that distressing running alarm clock that forces you out of bed to turn it off.

[Photo: rick]

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Score Marriott Rewards Elite Status Twice as Fast in June

| June 4, 2009 at 1:29 PM | 0 Comments

You know how we keep reminding you to sign up for all the loyalty programs that you possibly can in order to get the most out of your busy, sometimes-expensive travel schedule? We're also going to recommend that you maybe set up a separate email account with an address that you use exclusively for all your loyalty program signups — 'cause, uh, 'tis the season for the loyalty program promotions from all the different chains to be comin' atchya fast and furious.

All these summertime loyalty program promos are sort of making our heads spin — and, yeah, they're kinda blurring together, aren't they? Still, here's another one, which is coming out of Marriott Rewards this week: the Double Nights Promotion, which is (as they're spinning it) a way to earn elite status twice as fast.

From now through June 26, 2009, Marriott Rewards members who register for the promotion will receive two nights for every one night they stay, so they can hit the elite levels quickly.

Ten nights earns you Silver status; 50 nights earns you Gold status and you hit Platinum when you've racked up 75 nights. Oh! And these days, once you hit any of the elite statuses (that's Silver, Gold or Platinum), any unused extra night you've earned at the end of 2009 will automatically be transferred to your 2010 account. You know, like the cellphone rollover minutes.

Register for the Marriott Rewards loyalty program here; hit up the Double Nights promo registration here. Call us when you attain Baller Status.

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Marriott Denver Tries Small-Scale, Super-Targeted Mini-Papers

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 1701 California St [map], Denver, CO, United States, 80202

| June 4, 2009 at 9:12 AM | 0 Comments

Newspapers in hotels might be dying, but they sure are in the news a lot this week. The downtown Marriott Denver has been trying out an individualized news product with its guests for the past couple of months and apparently the feedback's been very positive.

Basically what's been happening is that when guests check in, they're asked if they'd like to receive a summary of the local Denver news; those that say yes will find a print-out popped under their door the next morning at 6.00am. The print-out is usually six double-sided pages plus two pages of coupons for local businesses.

We're not sure if standard-sized printed-out pages really fulfill our idea of what a newspaper should be, but if it's targeted towards what we actually want to read then there's got to be something right about it. And it saves the newspaper delivery boys a whole lot of effort; let the technology do the walking.

[Photo: nep]

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Marriott Launches 'Deal of the Day,' Both On and Off Twitter

| June 1, 2009 at 9:31 AM | 0 Comments

Okay, we get it: some people just don't want to be on Twitter. Or some people just can't make it a daily habit — you know, those types are usually able to post the requisite "trying to figure out Twitter" and "so excited to go out tonight!" first tweets before abandoning the whole thing.

So for the Twitterers and non-Twitterers alike, Marriott's got a promo accessible to both the Twappy (Twitter-happy? Does that work?) and those who like to stick to the old-school Internet: A Deal of the Day promotion going on for the next ten weekdays, and it will be announced every day both on the Marriott Twitter and on MarriottDealoftheDay.com. Every day, Marriott will list one new "Deal" for 24 hours only, offering up to 60% off at resorts in the Caribbean, Hawaii and California. Each offer will be announced at 7:00 am EDT on weekdays, and the last deal will be posted June 12.

Today's deal:

Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. Guests can book a room with a private balcony for $120 per night -- a 55 percent discount -- for stays of three nights or more through July 31, 2009. The resort, situated on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach, also features a serene turtle lagoon and tropical gardens with walkways and private seating areas. Guests can enjoy the on-site spa and choose from four restaurants.

Book it here, and check that site every day for the rest of the deals as they come along. Oh, and you can also win a free set of Marriott towels from the Marriott Twitter today.

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Inside The Marriott Berlin: Our Temporary Home On the Platz

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Inge-Beisheim-Platz 1, Berlin, Germany

| May 29, 2009 at 1:32 PM | 0 Comments

We suppose now is the perfect ime to thank the power of Twitter; without it, we wouldn't have scored a 5-star property in Potsdamer Platz in Berlin for less than what the busloads of tourists at 3-star Novotels were paying.

Granted, we didn't choose Marriott Berlin for being the city's "Contemporary American Lifestyle Experience," but were stuck with it as a result of using a $50 Twitter coupon from Cinco de Mayo that we received from Priceline's @TheNegotiator account. A name-your-own-price search later, and we had three nights nailed down in the center city.

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Behold: the Marriott Berlin's 'Contemporary American Experience'

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Inge-Beisheim-Platz 1, Berlin, Germany

| May 28, 2009 at 3:10 PM | 0 Comments

Just how well-located can a hotel be without actually causing guests to trip over hoards of tourists? We think we found the answer in the Marriott Berlin at Potsdamer Platz this past week, which a few blocks' down from the Brandenburg Gate and the Tiergarten, while within walking distance to most everything else.

As usual, we're just teasing you with the video tour of our room above, since the delicious full review of our stay will come around tomorrow. Until then, you can read up on their shameful WiFi plan or enjoy the above glimpse into our temporary home while in Berlin. It's a deal we're proud to admit that we maneuvered thanks to the name-your-own-price function on Priceline with the help of Twitter.

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The Marriott Berlin Charges $530 For WiFi Access

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: Inge-Beisheim Platz, Berlin, Germany

| May 26, 2009 at 3:43 PM | 0 Comments

In an ideal, globally-connected world, all hotels would have free and fast WiFi. This is however not a perfect world, and so traveling across borders with the intention of checking your email or uploading pictures to your Flickr is often a bigger headache that it should be.

Our most recent instance of entering Hotel WiFi Hell occurred during our 3-night stay at the centrally-located and business traveler-happy Marriott Berlin. After enjoying free and freeflowing access at a much cheaper hotel elsewhere in the city for our first few days in Berlin, we were admittedly spoiled. Nonetheless, we found the internet plan at the Marriott too exorbitant for any visitor:

· One hour of access (common areas): € 6.95 ($9.72)
· One hour of access (in room): € 5.95 ($8.32)
· 24 hours: € 19.95 ($27.91)
· One week: € 99.75 ($139.56)
· One month: € 379.05 ($530.33)

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JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek Weaves Its Social Web

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 150 Clayton Lane [map], Denver, CO, United States, 80206

| May 20, 2009 at 3:35 PM | 0 Comments

Okay, so maybe the JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek could use a jumpstart in the social networking department, but with just shy of 100 Facebook fans (as of press time), its prospects for Web 2.0 glory are looking favorable.

The secret to hotel Facebook success seems to lie in the level of staff involvement. Is the page updated regularly? Are there photos and/or videos? Is there a place in which guests can pony up their opinion? Does the hotel offer special online deals and incentives (because frankly, in this cash strapped economy, everyone is looking for a little gratis action). We know there are dozens of hotels (at least) using Facebook — so it seems like everyone's doing it, but are they working it to their advantage like Mariah Carey works a too-tight outfit? That’s highly debatable.

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Marriott Involvement Adds Another Layer to The Greenbrier Saga

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 300 West Main St. [map], White Sulphur Spring, WV, United States, 24986

| May 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM | 0 Comments

Alright. So. In a very, very compact nutshell, the drama at the Greenbrier in West Virginia goes a bit like this: the resort was having some troubles, shed about half of its staff, and word on the street was Marriott was gonna purchase and save the resort — but then another buyer stepped in and snapped it up last week, and furloughed employees were called back.

Now, here's this, from the Charleston Gazette:

The Greenbrier's new owner and Marriott International have reached a tentative agreement that allows the hotel giant to market the historic resort. In exchange, Marriott won't challenge the resort's sale, said Jim Justice, who purchased the Greenbrier's stock earlier this month.

Apparently, under this arrangement, Marriott will be receiving "a special fee for every Greenbrier guest booked through the hotel chain's marketing network" — or else the hotel's new owner would have to pay Marriott "a $7 million 'break-up fee' if he ends Marriott's marketing partnership," presumably because Marriott had a contract to purchase the resort from its previous owners.

What's not clear is, well, a lot of things. Among them: who is going to manage the resort? Will it be flagged as a Marriott? Guess those are the "details" that need to be worked out.

[Photo: Bloomberg News via WSJ]

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Get a Room, Any Marriott Room, for 20 Percent Off This Summer

| May 15, 2009 at 10:34 AM | 0 Comments

Much like Hyatt's recent brand-wide 30 percent off deal, Marriott Hotels have just announced a Global Rate Break for 20 percent off at participating Marriott hotels brand-wide and worldwide from Thursdays through Sundays. Except Marriott's put together a little video of "man on the street" interviews to hype their deal.

Whatever your reasons for getting out of town, reservations must be made by June 2 for weekend stays from May 21 through September 7. Visit marriott.com/globalratebreak or call 1-877-MARRIOTT and use promo code F5X to book.