Marriott International Opens First Hotels in Sweden, Continues Aggressive Growth in Europe

STOCKHOLM and BETHESDA, Md., June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- This week Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) hosts grand openings for its first two hotels in Sweden -- the Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen and the Renaissance Malmo. Leading the festivities are Arne Sorenson, president and chief operations officer of Marriott International and Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International in Europe.  In addition to VIP guests and hotel associates, US Ambassador to Sweden, Matthew Bazrun, will be on hand for today's grand opening in Stockholm.

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"This is a very exciting time for Marriott in Europe – we recently announced our goal to double our portfolio in Europe by 2015 and are thrilled to now be expanding into Sweden with our partners on these beautiful new hotels Scandinavian Hospitality Group (SHG) and Scandinavian Hospitality Management (SHM)," said Sorenson.  "We expect this to result in the opening of many more hotels in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland."

McPherson added, "We see strong opportunity throughout Scandinavia to grow our portfolio.  These first hotels in Sweden are spectacular examples of our Renaissance and Courtyard by Marriott brands and we hope to bring more of our portfolio of brands to this incredible region. Scandinavia has always been known for warm hospitality and cutting-edge design, and we are excited to be able to welcome guests to our new hotels here in Sweden."

Marriott opened its first hotel in Scandinavia, the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel in 2001. A market leader in Denmark's capital city, the Copenhagen Marriott recently completed a renovation of its lobby space to introduce Marriott Hotels & Resorts innovative "great room" concept that creates multiple zones for work and relaxation. The Copenhagen Marriott recently welcomed a new restaurant, Mid Town Grill, a New York style steakhouse and will complete a total renovation of its 401 guest rooms next year.

Located in Sweden's stylish capital city, the 278-room Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen is the largest Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Europe. Guestrooms offer large, panoramic windows with views over the lake Malaren and the Ralambshovs Park. Conveniently located in the Kungsholmen neighborhood of Stockholm, the hotel is situated within walking distance of the city centre and next door to one of the city's main metro stations.

The public space at the Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen evokes a contemporary feel and gives guests the space and functionality to both work and socialize with flexible seating options.  For meetings and events, the hotel offers 12 meeting rooms with a total of 1,000 square meters of meeting space.

The Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen features Bjork Bar & Grill, an urban, loft-style restaurant for dining and lounging.  Taking its name for the Swedish word for "birch tree," renowned designer Henry Chebaane designed the restaurant to represent a virtual forest filled with the colors and textures of the local trees, moss, lichen, granite and berries.  Bjork Bar & Grill features both dishes and cocktails made with regional Swedish produce, including sparkling wine made of birch sap from the trees in the local forest.

Grand opening tomorrow, the Renaissance Malmo Hotel brings together the best of the Renaissance brand experience as it blends history with ultra-modern design in the hotel's three preserved historical buildings.  The location of the hotel building named "the rose" dates back to the early 1800's.  Located in the heart of Malmo, Sweden, the hotel is located at the vibrant Lilla torg and also just a five-minute walk to the Malmo Central Station which offers a short 30 minute train ride to Copenhagen International Airport, Denmark.  

The stunning hotel features the latest innovations in design and décor, technology and culinary art. The 128 contemporary guestrooms offer an expressive style with warm and vibrant colors. Amenities include luxurious bedding, 37-inch flat-screen televisions, and complimentary wireless high-speed internet.  

The Renaissance Malmo's Rosen Bar & Dining offers a new spin on local cuisine blending contemporary Swedish cuisine with Spanish flavors.  Using the best in fresh ingredients, the menu is based on the best of seasonal and local ingredients.  The innovative restaurant design was created by renowned designer Henry Chebaane, mixing a sense of high style and relaxation within a chic color palate.

Celebrating 35 years in Europe this year, Marriott International today is represented with 178 hotels in the region, and envisions increasing its portfolio from 40,000 rooms to 80,000 rooms by 2015.  Seven of Marriott's 18 brands are represented currently in Europe: The Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments. In addition, the first European Residence Inn, an extended-stay brand, will open in Munich in 2011.

Renaissance Hotels is an upscale brand with more than 140 properties in 28 countries that speaks to passionate travelers in search of authentic local discoveries when traveling for business or leisure. Renaissance Hotels has recently welcomed several new "gems" to its global collection—the ultra-modern Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel, the chic Renaissance New York Hotel 57 in Manhattan and the beautifully restored Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach. These hotels join a rich portfolio defined by distinctive and well-known icons such as The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., the Blackstone Renaissance Chicago Hotel, The Shelbourne Renaissance Dublin Hotel and the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel.

Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control. With more than 860 locations in 30 countries, Courtyard is Marriott's largest brand.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. 

Note:  The company's expectation that it will have additional hotels in Scandinavia and goals for rooms growth throughout Europe 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 the continuation and pace of the economic recovery; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth; and other risk factors identified in the company's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q; any of which could cause the actual number of hotels in Scandiavia or Europe to be different than we expect.  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.  

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.