Hotel Duval Joins the Autograph Collection

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. and BETHESDA, Md., July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotel Duval announced today their official affiliation with Marriott International, Inc.'s (NYSE: MAR) new Autograph Collection, a portfolio of upper-upscale and luxury independent hotels and resorts, each with distinctive personalities. Hotel Duval will continue to operate autonomously keeping their name and identity while taking advantage of Marriott's global reservations, and sales and marketing channels.

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As only the 11th hotel worldwide invited to join the exclusive cluster of luxury boutique properties, Hotel Duval is poised to also benefit from full participation in the award-winning Marriott Rewards® guest loyalty program, which drives customers in the leisure, corporate and group markets. The 117-room hotel is owned and managed by Duval Partners, LLC and will operate under a franchise agreement with Marriott International, Inc.

"We are proud to be associated with the exclusive Autograph Collection and we know that Marriott's global reservation systems along with their strong customer outreach are going to be tremendous assets for our property," says Chad Kittrell, co-owner, Hotel Duval. "By maintaining our independence and benefiting from the Marriott support, the relationship is a win-win."

"Hotel Duval's unique guest experience fits perfectly with our new exclusive Autograph Collection," said Kip Vreeland, Autograph Collection vice president. "We are thrilled to include this unique property as part of our collection."  

"Our relationship with Autograph Collection will only help to solidify Hotel Duval's positioning as Tallahassee's only upscale, boutique hotel," says Marc Bauer, general manager Hotel Duval. As one of Tallahassee's richest landmarks, opened originally in 1951, the revitalized luxury boutique property re-opened in 2009 under the local ownership of Chad Kittrell, Frank Whitley and J.T. Burnette. Boasting 117 guestrooms with a color palate option on each floor tailored to customer mood preference, each of the sophisticatedly-designed accommodations provide views of downtown Tallahassee, iPod docking stations, ICE interactive concierge, wireless Internet, 37-inch flat screen TVs, rainmaker showerheads and pebbled shower floors.

Home to Shula's 347 Grill, a sports-style steakhouse that flows seamlessly with the vibe and decor of the property, Hotel Duval's signature restaurant presents options of gourmet salads, fresh fish and exclusive Premium Black Angus Beef Burgers and Shula Cut Steaks. Hosting a street-level cafe, LeRoc, which features Starbucks coffee and locally grown and sourced food is open for breakfast and lunch. Level 8 is the only rooftop lounge of its kind from Atlanta to South Beach. Comprising both open-air and indoor elements, Level 8 of Hotel Duval showcases panoramic views of the capital city.

Functions for groups of 10 to 250 people are available among more than 7,500 square feet of meeting space. The flexible layout of the space is spread throughout eight unique rooms and a stunning rooftop Horizon Ballroom. Hotel Duval offers refreshing venues with an outstanding service staff and lavish catering options.

Located three blocks from the heart of downtown Tallahassee, Hotel Duval is walking distance from the state's capital while Florida State University and Florida A&M University are within five miles. The Tallahassee Regional Airport is less than 20 minutes, creating the perfect central location for a variety of cultural, sporting and eco-tourism activities in Tallahassee.

Autograph Collection is an ensemble of high-personality and boldly independent hotels, each carefully selected for its distinctiveness, style and synchronicity with your unique travel interests.  Together, the entire Autograph Collection takes the guesswork out of finding exceptional, distinctive non-chain hotels that are original as who you are and provides you with all the rewards and benefits of a world-class loyalty program. For more details, visit www.AutographCollectionHotels.com

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 3,400 lodging properties in 70 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; licenses and manages whole-ownership residential brands, including The Ritz-Carlton Residences, JW Marriott Residences and Marriott Residences; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and had approximately 137,000 employees at 2009 year-end. It is recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the best companies to work for, and by Newsweek as one of the greenest big companies in America. In fiscal year 2009, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $11 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. 

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.