Marriott International Debuts Four Points by Sheraton Brand in Auckland, New Zealand

BETHESDA, Md., March 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- POINT 1  Marriott International today announced it expects to debut its booming Four Points brand in New Zealand with the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Auckland in late 2017. Owned by Russell Property Group and Lockwood Auckland Properties, the 255-room hotel will be located in the heart of the city at 396 Queen Street, Auckland's main retail and dining strip. Today's signing marks Marriott's continued expansion in New Zealand following the signing of The Ritz-Carlton, Auckland.

POINT 2  "We are extremely excited to expand Marriott International's presence in Asia Pacific with the launch of the Four Points brand in New Zealand," said Mike Fulkerson, Vice President of Brand & Marketing, Asia Pacific, Marriott International.  "The Four Points brand is rapidly growing around the world, especially in the Pacific region.  We have two Four Points hotels open in Brisbane and Perth.  In addition, we have three hotels under development, two in Sydney and a flagship property in Melbourne.  We are looking forward to the opening of the Melbourne property later this month."

"Together with Russell Property Group and Lockwood Auckland Properties, we see huge potential for the Four Points by Sheraton brand in New Zealand, where demand for new hotel rooms continues to grow. With occupancies and room rates at a record high, it's a thrilling time to be investing in this market," said Maria Verner, Manager of Development, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Marriott International.

POINT 3  Four Points by Sheraton Auckland will feature 255 guest rooms with impressive views of the city, an all-day dining restaurant, bar and lounge, approximately 300 square metres of conference and meeting space, a fitness centre, and convenient on-site parking facilities. Reflecting the brand's promise to provide what matters most to today's independent travellers, the hotel will offer all of the brand's defining touches, including the signature Four Comfort bed, complimentary bottled water, fast and free Wi-Fi in all public areas, an energising breakfast, and the brand's signature Best Brews™ programme, helping guests to enjoy their day from start to finish.

The hotel, which is being converted from office space, will be ideally located adjacent to Aotea Square on Queen Street, the hub of the city, abundant with popular shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes. A 30-minute drive from Auckland Airport and in easy reach of the city's key attractions, including Auckland Sky Tower, Auckland Art Gallery and The Civic Theatre, as well as the New Zealand International Convention Centre opening in 2019, the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology, the hotel is well positioned for leisure and business travellers alike.

POINT 4  "We are delighted to partner with Marriott International to open the first Four Points hotel in New Zealand and look forward to working together to provide our guests the comfort and authentic service they have come to expect from Four Points," said Brett Russell, Russell Property Group's Managing Director.

Four Points by Sheraton Auckland joins Marriott's robust portfolio in the Pacific with 23 hotels in operation, including two Four Points by Sheraton properties in Brisbane and Perth. The hotel also joins 23 properties under development, namely The Ritz-Carlton, Auckland; Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park; Four Points by Sheraton Parramatta, Melbourne; Marriott Hotel Docklands; The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne; W Brisbane; Aloft Perth Rivervale; The Westin Perth; and The Ritz-Carlton, Perth.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements: The anticipated rooms growth and the number and locations of hotels that Four Points expects open in 2017 are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. 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 that Marriott International, Inc. identifies in the most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q that it filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by those statements. We make those statements 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 Four Points
About Four Points
Travel reinvented.  With more than 200 Four Points hotels in more than 30 countries, travelers can find the timeless style and comfort they're looking for with genuine service and everything that matters most, all around the world.  From Santiago to Shanghai and Milan to Milwaukee, Four Points hotels can be found in big urban centers, by the airport, near the beach, and in the suburbs. Each hotel offers a familiar place with an authentic sense of the local, and friendly genuine service where guests can relax and unwind, watch local sports, and enjoy the brand's Best Brews and BBQ™ program. Four Points is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. To learn more, visit us online and stay connected to Four Points on Facebook.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is the world's largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 6,000 properties in 122 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts. The company's 30 leading brands include: Bulgari®, The Ritz-Carlton® and The Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, St. Regis®, W®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, The Luxury Collection®, Marriott Hotels®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Renaissance® Hotels, Sheraton®, Delta Hotels by Marriott^SM, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Tribute Portfolio™, Design Hotels™, Gaylord Hotels®, Courtyard®, Four Points® by Sheraton, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, Residence Inn®, TownePlace Suites®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Aloft®, Element®, Moxy® Hotels, and Protea Hotels by Marriott®. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com and @MarriottIntl.

SOURCE Four Points