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Tags: Hotel Renovations / Marriott Hotels / Washington DC Hotels / → All Tags
Washington Marriott at Metro Center Gets Spiffed Up
In recent years, Washington DC's downtown has transformed into a destination you might actually want to hang out. Or at the very least, those safe-clean-friendly claims being made about it a few years ago are now much closer to being true! Think haute restaurants, quality theatre and galleries, and much, much more foot traffic. (There's even a trendier name for the 'hood: Penn Quarter.)
For Marriott's part, they've responded to the neighborhood's spiffier image with an $11 million renovation at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center, just in time to celebrate the hotel's 15-year anniversary. The 459-room hotel recently unveiled its new contemporary look and feel, which includes 32-inch plasma screen TVs, tech-friendly plug-in panels, and check-in self-serve kiosks. In the lobby, "semi-private seating nooks" give comfortable spaces for guests to work or mingle, particularly thanks to the free WiFi.
Tags: Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Simon F. Cooper / Hotel Industry News / → All Tags
Marriott is Putting on (Some Changes at) The Ritz-Carlton
Back in August, we had heard whispers that Marriott Hotels would be changing things up with its Ritz-Carlton Hotels. The rumors were that Marriott would be making Ritz more Marriott-y by handing over some of the operations to Marriott corporate folks. A commenter lamented the change saying:
It is at General Manager level in Ritz Carlton that is causing the biggest effect. Marriott GM's are coming onboard and don't have the passion or understanding that "Old School" Ritz Carlton GM's have. The 15 year Ritz Carlton Veteran becoming a GM is a thing of the past.
And then that was pretty much we heard about all of that. Until Travel Weekly's article about the "ambitious corporate makeover" going on over at the Ritz. The rumors were true--Marriott is doing extensive restructuring of Ritz-Carlton.
Tags: Autograph Collection / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Brands / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
Will You Want Marriott's Autograph (Hotels?)
The news is official: Marriott Hotels has unveiled a new brand, The Autograph Collection.
As we mentioned the other day, this new collection will consist of independent hotels that will retain their individuality but have access to the Marriott reservations systems and guests can use and earn Marriott rewards points here.
Here's the official statement from Marriott's VP of brand management, Don Semmler.
"The Autograph Collection will take the innovative approach of grouping these iconic hotels according to the unique experience that guests are seeking whether it's a resort, historic hotel, boutique arts, or urban edge hotel in a dynamic gateway city. Each hotel will be highly unique and distinct with its own identity, appealing to a growing segment of our customers who are looking for an experience that an independent hotel can deliver."
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Could You Soon Be Sleeping in a Marriott Hotel And Not Know It?
This is a Marriott Hotel bed but will your next hotel bed be so forthcoming?
It's not hard to ever miss the presence of the all-mighty Marriott Hotels during your hotel stays. For one thing, chances are the Marriott name is a part of the hotel name. Marriott Hotels, JW Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott and etc.
Secondly, whenever you booked your hotel stay you probably had to go to Marriott.com where if you didn't know before, then you certainly know now that Renaissance Hotels are part of Marriott as are Fairfield Inn and Suites, Townplace Suites and SpringHill Suites. The only one that kind of trips people up is Ritz-Carlton. But yes, that's a Marriott hotel too.
But could this change in the future? A tipster emailed us to say that Marriott might be working on a new brand that will not be Marriott-branded at all.
Tags: Hotel Renovations / Boston Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Sportsbars / → All Tags
Marriott Copley Place Unveils Renovated Digs, Giant TV Screen
Hey, Red Sox fanatics: Looks like you might have a new favorite game day destination in Beantown (Fenway Park notwithstanding, obviously). As part of the Boston Marriott Copley Place’s $22-million, year-long renovations, the hotel has a new restaurant, Champions, that boasts “one of the largest HD projection screens in New England,” or so they claim.
Champions’ 12-by-24-foot screen seems poised to become one of the hottest places to watch the Sox, if you ask us. Especially since the resto also has more than 40 flat-panel TVs, a high-tech sound system, and 36 beers on tap.
But enough about Champions — that $22 million didn’t all go the jumbo screen. Copley Place also features a completely renovated first and second floor, with new front desk area and three new meeting rooms, the new Connexion Lounge, renovated health club and pool, and full makeover of all 47 suites.
Full renovations will be complete in early 2010 — guess we mean guests can still expect a little hammering in the meantime?
Tags: Deal or No Deal / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Packages / Brooklyn Hotels / → All Tags
'Explorer Passes' Aren't Worth It at The Marriott New York Brooklyn Bridge
Marriot Hotels have been very good lately about alerting us hotel guests to their newest hotel deals and packages via Facebook, Twitter and even the individual Marriott hotels' websites. However, just because Marriott advertises it as a deal doesn't necessarily mean it's a good one. The other week we expressed some disappointment with a New Orleans package which, based on its marketing and pricing, made less than zero sense.
Now it's the Explore Your New York package deal from the New York Marriott At The Brooklyn Bridge. Room rates range from $274-$524 per room, per night, plus tax. The ostensible bonus is that rooms come bundled with two Explorer Passes that have three discount coupons for 40 different shops, tours, or attractions. Breakfast for two is also thrown in.
We'll get into the mechanics of this non-deal after the jump, but before we highlight the specifics: there's no way this is ever going to be a deal. The rules never change. Deeply discounted resorts and cruises are sometimes bargains because you're purchasing a unique experience. Not so much hotels in major cities, which are functionally interchangeable. Tourist coupon books are worse than useless, locking you into events for which you'd be better off picking and choosing deals.
Tags: Hotel Wine Tastings / Wine-Tasting Hotels / Marriott Hotels / Chicago Hotels / → All Tags
Crush Some Grapes at the Chicago Marriott Mag Mile's Wine Tasting
If you've always wanted to try making wine after seeing that I Love Lucy episode where Lucy stomps grape with her feet and laughter ensues, go to the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile's annual Wine Tasting and Grape Crushing event on Oct. 20 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Okay, so you won't actually be stomping on grapes with your feet and it won't be as hilarious. Instead, you'll use a destemmer crusher machine to help turn those grapes into vino. At least it'll save your tootsies from turning purple and your clothes from getting stained.
As part of the second annual festivities, Executive Chef Myk Banas of the hotel's restaurant, Harvest, will host a wine tasting inside the Grand Lobby. You'll get to swish the 2008 Farmstead Red American Sangiovese wine from last year's harvest crush. There also will be hors d'oeuvres paired with the vintage, such as various house-made sausages, like chicken sausage, and artisan cheeses from the Midwest. After the tasting, you'll have your chance to crush hundreds of grapes for next year's 2010 vintage.
Tags: Chicago Hotels / JW Marriott Hotels / Hotel Openings / Marriott Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Architecture / → All Tags
Chicago Finally Earns a JW Marriott, Thanks To a Superstar Architect
When it comes to Marriott Hotels, you usually picture a hotel evoking the idea of contemporary upscale American. For the JW Marriott Hotels, the black label of the Marriotts, the idea is elevated to five-star sophistication and attention to detail. There are more than fifty of them around the world, and finally—in June 2010—Chicago will join the JW party with its very own JW Marriott in the sweet spot of the Loop.
The building itself with a tourist attraction, as it's the former Continental & Commercial National Bank, designed by superstar architect and city planner Daniel Burnham in 1914. To turn it into a luxurious 610-room hotel and restore the ornate lobby and design by this man who also did New York's Flatiron building, DC's Union Station and Selfridge's in London, Marriott spent $396 milllion. And now the landmark is almost ready for the public...
Tags: YouTube / Marriott Hotels / San Juan Hotels / Concierges / → All Tags
The San Juan Marriott's You Tube Concierge Makes Virtual Bragging Easy
Every time we go away, we feel pangs of guilt if we don’t bring back souvenirs for our nearest and dearest; especially, our beloved dog-sitter. As a carry-on only kinda gal, it can get burdensome, and many times we cop out with a 25¢ cookie cutter postcard with an impersonal message.
Well, the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino just launched a very cool (and complimentary) service that lets guests send a virtual shout out to the folks at home, and avoid the whole issue of having to schlep a bunch of useless tsotchkes. Plus think of all the money you’ll save on ever-increasing postage prices if you’re a postcard kinda person.
Tags: Hotel Openings / Marriott Hotels / Bill Marriott / Bogota Hotels / → All Tags
Bill Marriott Opens The Bogota Marriott Hotel
It's been a while since we checked in on Bill Marriott but thanks to the Marriott Twitter feed, we know exactly where he is.
Marriott on Twitter has been buzzing with updates on the opening day festivities at the new Bogota Marriott in Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe, Bill Marriott and developers Ricardo Poma and Fernando Poma were all on hand to inaugurate the hotel today.
The hotel is located 10 minutes from the El Dorado International Airport and sound proofed rooms feature a modern art concept along with techy amenities like high-speed internet, work desks with plug panels and 37" LCD TVs. On site there's a lap pool, an Italian restaurant and a sushi and tapas bar. Just outside are two shopping malls and the Chamber of Commerce.
And it looks like the Marriott will soon be joined by a sister property soon. A JW Marriott is planned to open in Bogota this May.
The Bogota Marriott is a Marriott Rewards category 3 hotel and room rates start at $215 a night.
Tags: Hotel Crime / Hotel Safety / Erin Andrews / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
Erin Andrews Stalker Asked For, and Received, a Guest Room Next to Hers
Last Friday, the creepy stalker who videotaped sexy ESPN reporter Erin Andrews through a peephole in her hotel room was found, arrested and charged with one count of interstate stalking using harassing and intimidating surveillance. But it turns out, Michael David Barrett wasn't just a clever predator on the hunt for his prey. Oh no, he had some help from the hotel.
A lawyer for ESPN blasted the management at Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University for failing to protect Andrews. The reason why? Computer records show that Barrett requested and was given a room next to Andrews and that their rooms were located in an alcove off the main hallways. It even shows up on the computer records as "GST RQST TO RM NXT TO [Andrews]." So much for guest safety and privacy, huh?
Tags: Hotel Blog Watch / Marriott Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / Celebrity Chefs / → All Tags
Marriott's Head Chef Revamps His Chef Blog
Where: United States
As you know, we keep our eye out for new hotel blogs on our Blog Watch, and have watched the evolution of Marriott’s blogs with great interest since Bill Marriott himself launched Marriott on the Move in January 2007. That was followed in January 2008 by Marriott in the Kitchen written by the mustachioed head Marriott International chef, Brad Nelson, whose mantra is “you’re only as good as your last meal.”
Now we are happy to report that the chef blog has just completed a re-design of the site and are using it to hype special events, such as Chef Laurent Tourondel’s (of BLT Restaurants) recent foray into the kitchen to personally fix a burger for Bill Marriott, complete with slideshow.
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