Marriott Brings New Autograph Collection to Europe

BERLIN, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the newest hotel brands of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), the Autograph Collection, is coming to Europe with the addition of four new hotels in Spain, the company announced today at the International Hotel Investment Forum here.  Last year in the United States, Marriott launched the Autograph Collection, a portfolio of distinct, independent hotels and resorts representing upper-upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities.

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The first four Autograph Collection hotels in Europe are:

• AC Santo Mauro, Madrid, Spain
• AC Palacio del Retiro, Madrid, Spain
• AC Palacio de Santa Paula, Granada, Spain
• AC Baqueira Hotel & Spa, Baqueira, Spain

By May 2011, these four hotels will join the company's Autograph Collection due to their rich history and unique style as part of a recently announced joint venture with AC Hotels and its portfolio of 9,100 hotel rooms in Europe. The joint venture also includes the launch of a new brand, AC Hotels by Marriott, which will initially be comprised of up to 86 rebranded AC Hotels in Spain, Italy and Portugal, plus the four hotels joining the Autograph Collection.

With the addition of these Autograph Collection properties, the AC Hotels by Marriott portfolio, and a strong pipeline in Europe, Marriott is over a quarter of the way to doubling the number of rooms open or signed in Europe by 2015, a goal announced last year.  

"We are thrilled to expand our relationship with AC Hotels and to launch the Autograph Collection in Europe with such a dynamic and distinguished group of hotels," said Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International in Europe. "Each of these properties offers a truly unique guest experience and fits perfectly within the positioning of the Autograph Collection. As we continue our ambitious growth, we expect the Autograph Collection will be a very popular conversion brand in Europe given the region's variety of iconic and independent hotel groups."

Carlton Ervin, chief development officer for Marriott International in Europe said, "As part of the Autograph Collection, each hotel will be featured on Marriott.com and affiliated with our award winning Marriott Rewards program, where guests can earn points at more than 3,300 hotels in 70 countries. As a member of the Autograph Collection, these hotels are able to tap into Marriott's industry-leading global reservations system and powerful consumer outreach through its leading technology, and sales and marketing platforms that have helped build Marriott into one of the world's premier hotel operators."

Autograph Collection (www.autographcollectionhotels.com) was launched in January of 2010, and has grown to include 14 hotels in four unique categories: Boutique Arts, Iconic Historic, Boutique Chic and Luxury Redefined. The hotels include the spectacular Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the newest hotel on the famed Las Vegas strip, the Algonquin Hotel in New York (a New York City Historic Landmark) and the Kessler Collection hotels, including the art-filled Bohemian hotels in Orlando, Florida and Savannah, Georgia.  Marriott anticipates it will end 2011 with close to 40 hotels in the Autograph Collection worldwide. 

AC Santo Mauro in Madrid occupies the premises of an elegant late nineteenth-century building, which was once the residence of the Duke de Santo Mauro. Housing 50 luxurious guestrooms, the hotel is located a stone's throw from Paseo Recoletos and Buen Retiro Park.

Madrid's stunning 50-room AC Palacio del Retiro is housed in a twentieth century building and preserves the original mouldings, woodwork and stained-glass windows of the original noble residence.

The luxurious 75-room AC Palacio de Santa Paula is a true restoration masterpiece, located in the historic center of Granada and is housed in the premises of what used to be the Santa Paula Convent, a Moorish house and a Spanish noble house, all fused into one magnificent building within walking distance of La Alhambra.

The charming 102-room AC Baqueira Hotel & Spa will be the first ski resort in Marriott International's portfolio in Europe, located in Baqueira-Beret ski station looking over the impressive landscape of the Pyrenees.

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

NOTE:  The statement about the number of new hotels to be added and their locations is a "forward looking statement" within the meaning of federal securities laws, not a historical fact, and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the depth and duration of the current recession; 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 refurbishment; and other risk factors identified in our 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 statement.  This statement is 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.

IRPR#1

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.