Louisville Marriott Downtown Completes Renovation to 616 Guest Rooms, Suites and Accompanying Public Space

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Louisville Marriott Downtown, a White Lodging Services and RLJ Lodging Trust property has completed full renovation to the hotel's 616 guestrooms, suites, concierge lounge, pool, spa and fitness center.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130325/DE82960 )

The hotel, located at 280 West Jefferson Ave. in the heart of downtown, completed the multimillion-dollar renovation Feb. 8, 2013. The $6 million dollar renovation at the 8-year-old hotel was completed in 53 days, one quarter of the normal time allotted for a similar renovations, and without any guest disruption.

"We used 4 crews working simultaneously, in the slowest part of the year to ensure that our guests were not inconvenienced," said Michael Howerton, Market Vice President of the Marriott Louisville Downtown.

The new interior was designed by Chicago-based Zimmerman Weintraub Associates, introducing elements to help the modern traveler, but rooted in the culture of Louisville. The rooms and 25 suites were completely redesigned and refurnished with new bathroom lighting, millwork and valances, 42-inch HD TVs installed in each room and desk tops with all the plugs and outlets needed by today's traveler. The rooms also received new ergonomic desk chairs, leather ottomans and closets with built-in refrigerators. The entire hotel received new art, including pictures, photos, murals and wall hangings, much of it Louisville-themed.

The hotel's Presidential suite has been occupied by presidents, celebrities, international dignitaries and CEOs of major companies. That suite offers a fully furnished butler pantry and kitchen with a private staff entrance. The suite includes a personal dining room, a jetted tub, a glass-walled shower, walk in closets, a modern four-poster king bed and an overstuffed day chase lounge that overlooks the city. A guest room is also included in the suite, as well as multiple TVs encased in wood and leather cabinetry, and two seating areas.

"We wanted the new rooms to not only emphasize Louisville, but also take care of guests' needs. We had heard guests had been unhappy with the lighting in the bathrooms and we often received requests for mini fridges," said Michael Howerton, Market Vice President of the Marriott Louisville Downtown. "Our renovation included adding a mini-fridge to every room and enhanced lighting in all of the guest rooms and bathrooms."

A complete renovation of the concierge lounge provides additional seating areas and a communal table for informal meetings and networking. The fitness center now includes all new cardio equipment with individual television screens as well as bamboo floors, complimentary chilled bottled water, chilled towels and stereo earphones to further enhance the workout experience for guests.

Located in the center of the city, the Louisville Marriott Downtown offers convenient access to the Kentucky International Convention Center as well as the 4^th Street Live entertainment and dining district through a climate controlled skywalk. The hotel is located just two blocks away from the KFC Yum! Center, a short drive from Churchill Downs and only six miles from the Louisville International Airport.

Last year the Louisville Marriott Downtown was ranked by meeting planner guests as the number one Marriott convention hotel in North America.

"It's about staying ahead of the curve in our product and our service," Howerton said. "We are appreciative of our recognition, but you can't stop improving. We have a great associate team and have been fortunate that the local developers of this hotel gave us an extraordinary and uniquely designed facility...we are doing our best to continue to improve upon that advantage we were given 8 years ago this March."

The Louisville Marriott Downtown's 616 rooms are spread throughout the 17-story building. The hotel offers 30 meeting rooms with 50,000 square feet of meeting space, which can hold 3,500 people. The hotel also features an indoor pool, a Starbucks, Blu Italian Grille and Champions, a sports bar.

To reserve a room at the newly renovated hotel, call the hotel directly at (502) 627-5045 or visit the website at www.marriottlouisville.com.

ABOUT WHITE LODGING SERVICES
White Lodging Services Corporation was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. White Lodging is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development, and operations company – a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels across the country. Their current portfolio consists of over 161 hotels in 20 states and encompasses representation of the following leading brands: Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotel Group, and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.  For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com or call 219-472-2861.

ABOUT RLJ LODGING TRUST
RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust focused on acquiring premium-branded, focused service and compact full-service hotels. The Company's portfolio consists of 145 hotels in 21 states and the District of Columbia, with a total of more than 21,600 rooms. Additional information may be found on the Company's website: http://rljlodgingtrust.com.

CONTACT: Kathleen Quilligan
White Lodging
(317) 435-7446
[email protected]

SOURCE White Lodging