JW Marriott Luxury Brand to Open New Hotel in Santo Domingo - First JW Marriott in Dominican Republic and Caribbean

BETHESDA, Md., April 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International's (NYSE: MAR) world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, announced plans to open a new 131-room JW Marriott Hotel in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, in 2014.  The property will be operated by Marriott under an agreement with Grupo Velutini, a Panamanian subsidiary of Fondo de Valores Inmobiliarios (FVI).

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120427/PH96413 )

The official announcement event took place today at the hotel site inside of the Blue Mall with participants including President Leonel Fernandez; J.W. Marriott, Jr. chairman of the board, Marriott International; Luis Emilio Velutini, owner and president of Grupo Velutini; and Rob Steigerwald, chief operating officer, Americas, Marriott International.

"The Dominican Republic is a highly desirable destination for today's luxury traveler and a growing business hub in the Caribbean," said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman of the board, Marriott International. "This makes it ideally suited for our JW Marriott brand, which is now in 22 countries around the world."

Located in the Piantini area, Santo Domingo's primary business, commercial and residential district, the JW Marriott Santo Domingo will be located in the first seven floors of a 15-story mixed-use tower being built above the existing Blue Mall Santo Domingo, which opened in 2010 and features 20,000 square meters of commercial space over six floors, including high-end retail such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo and Carolina Herrera.

"We are thrilled to be bringing the JW Marriott brand of luxury to Santo Domingo," said Luis Emilio Velutini, owner and president of Grupo Velutini.  "And with its prime location above the Blue Mall and in close proximity to major businesses, we know that it will be successful."

"We are fortunate to begin this partnership with Mr. Velutini and FVI, which has one of the largest real estate portfolios in Latin America," says Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International, Inc. in the Caribbean & Latin America "We currently have two other hotels in Santo Domingo and believe that the JW Marriott luxury brand will be very well received in the city."

In addition to 131 guest rooms and suites, the hotel will feature a three-meal-a-day restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge and a pool snack bar.  It will have 589 square meters of meeting space, including a ballroom and two smaller rooms; as well as a fitness center and swimming pool.

The primary architect for the project is Gomez Vasques Aldana Asociados, a well-known Mexican firm with extensive experience in the hospitality industry throughout Latin America and in Santo Domingo.

"Each JW Marriott delivers a warm, authentic, relaxed and elegant environment that is unique to the luxury segment," said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president, JW Marriott brand management, Marriott International.  "The JW brand continues to grow and we are excited to add this hotel in Santo Domingo -- the first Caribbean hotel in our global portfolio."

NOTE: The statements about the future additions of hotels are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, not historical facts, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth; and other risk factors identified in Marriott International, Inc.'s most recent annual report on Form 10-K; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by our statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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 53 JW Marriott hotels in 22 countries; by 2015 the portfolio will encompass 80 properties in 29 countries. www.marriott.com/jw-marriott/travel.mi.

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.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.