JW Marriott Bogota Celebrates Grand Opening - Marriott's First Luxury Hotel in Colombia

BOGOTA, Colombia and BETHESDA, Md., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) officially opened the company's first JW Marriott luxury hotel today in Bogota, Colombia.  On-hand for the celebration were President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, Rob Steigerwald, chief operations officer for the Southern region of the Americas for Marriott International and Ricardo Poma, president of Real Hotels & Resorts and Grupo Poma.  The 264-room JW Marriott Bogota is operated under a franchise agreement with Real Hotels & Resorts of El Salvador.

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"Colombia remains one of the most vibrant countries for new development in all of Latin America," said Rob Steigerwald. "We are thrilled to partner with Real Hotels & Resorts on this project, and introduce our world class JW Marriott luxury brand to Bogota. This beautiful hotel brings the highest levels of accommodations and service to Bogota and is a great addition to the brand's growing global portfolio."

"Bogota has proven itself as one of the most dynamic cities in the region. We are thrilled to introduce the very first JW Marriott branded hotel to this thriving capital city, and we are confident it will become the preferred choice for business travelers visiting the city," added Ricardo Poma.

The JW Marriott Bogota is perfectly located in the financial district of the city, approximately 30 minutes from Bogota International Airport. For dining and entertainment the hotel offers distinct options including Monet Brasserie, and La Mina Steak & Lobster, which presents guests with a wide selection of prime cuts of beef and fresh seafood.  The lobby lounge offers handcrafted cocktails and provides ambience where guests can relax while overlooking the hotel lobby area. Recreational amenities include a swimming pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center. For conferences and social events, the hotel offers 550 square meters of flexible function space.

Marriott International and Real Hotels & Resorts celebrated the opening of the first Marriott International-flagged hotel in the country last fall, the 239-room Bogota Marriott Hotel. Both hotels, along with over 3,000 Marriott-affiliated hotels worldwide, participate in Marriott Rewards, the guest reward program that allows members to earn their choice of points or airline miles for each dollar spent during each stay.

The JW Marriott brand represents Marriott International's fastest growing luxury brand, with plans to open 10 properties in five countries in 2010, bringing the total global portfolio of the brand to 54 hotels and resorts and 24,000 rooms. This unprecedented growth represents an investment exceeding $2 billion by JW Marriott property owners and franchisees.  The JW Marriott brand is reserved for select luxury properties that offer the highest levels of comfort, technology, personal service, privacy and world-class amenities. Guests will experience a hotel where sophisticated and self-confident travelers can celebrate success on their terms. An additional 20 JW Marriott hotels are also under construction or in development in 13 countries, including such diverse locations as The Maldives, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Puerto Rico and Indianapolis.

About JW Marriott

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 45 JW Marriott hotels in 19 countries; by 2013 the portfolio has plans to encompass 73 properties in 28 countries.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

Real Hotels & Resorts, Grupo Poma's hospitality division, is a leading lodging company with more than 4,800 available rooms distributed within its 30 hotels opened or under development in the United States, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Real Hotels & Resorts operates its properties in alliance with three renowned hotel chains: Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Choice Hotels International. The company is headquartered in San Salvador, El Salvador and had approximately 4,500 employees at 2009 year-end.  It is ranked as one of the top hotel management companies in Latin America having received multiple awards and recognitions for its high service and product consistence across its entire property portfolio. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.realhotelsandresorts.com

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.