New Courtyard by Marriott Hotel to Occupy Property in New York's Herald Square

BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) announced today the development of the 168-room Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Herald Square, under management agreement with owner 960 Associates, an affiliate of Hidrock Realty Inc., a New York City-based real estate company.  The hotel, on the northeast corner of 6th Avenue and 35th Street, will occupy the former Atlantic Bank of New York building, constructed in 1928.  Construction will begin this fall, with a completion date in early 2012.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100217/NE56162LOGO-a )

The 17-story building will maintain its facade, with 5,000 square feet of leased retail space on the ground floor.  The Courtyard signature lobby will be on the 3rd floor, complete with a "Table Concept" F&B.  Guest rooms will occupy floors 4 to 17, with the Courtyard signature room.

"This will be our seventh Courtyard by Marriott hotel in New York City when it opens in 2012, and we are excited to be in this fabulous location, near Macy's and New York's Penn Station," said David Marriott, chief operations officer - Eastern Region, The Americas. "We look forward to managing this hotel and incorporating all the hugely successful elements of the Courtyard brand."

"We chose the Courtyard brand based on its modern look and feel and on the basis of its performance in this market," said Abraham Hidary, president of Hidrock Realty Inc.  "We think that it will be ideal for business and leisure travelers to New York, and the location is great."

The 168-room Courtyard by Marriott will offer the brand's signature "refreshing business" lobby, featuring bright contemporary design, innovative technology and flexible space.  The redefined area allows guests more control and choice over their stay, with services and amenities that create a healthy balance between working and relaxing. A signature element of the new lobby is the exclusive GoBoard® technology, a 55-inch LCD interactive touch screen packed with local information, maps, weather, and news, business and sports headlines.  

Ideal for leisure and business guests, each room will be equipped with flat-panel television, complimentary Wi-Fi access and feature a functional work area with a multi-level desk that gives guests the space to spread out and work however they choose.  The centerpiece of the living area is a stylish and modern loveseat sofa that also doubles as a pullout bed.

Marriott International currently has 33 open properties in three boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens), across nine brands, including Autograph Collection, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Marriott ExecuStay, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Residence Inn by Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and Ritz-Carlton Residences.

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 900 locations in 35 countries, Courtyard by Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay.  For more information go to www.courtyard.com.

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.

Hidrock Realty (Hidrock) is a private real estate firm with properties throughout the East Coast. Based in Manhattan, the company provides fully integrated real estate services through its in-house departments that specialize in joint venture acquisitions, asset and property management, office and retail leasing, and commercial and residential development. Hidrock owns, manages and leases several office buildings in Manhattan's Fashion District, including: 35 West 36th Street, 53 West 36th Street, 65 West 36th Street and 240 West 35th Street. In addition, the company is developing two hotels in the neighborhood: 960 Sixth Avenue at 35th Street and 25-29 West 37th Street. For more information on Hidrock Realty, please visit www.hidrock.com.

Note on forward-looking statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements concerning the number of lodging properties we expect to add in the future, the locations of those properties, the year in which particular properties will open, and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those we identify below and other risk factors that we identify in Marriott International, Inc.'s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q. These risks include changes in market conditions; the continuation and pace of the economic recovery; supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; and the availability of capital to finance hotel growth and refurbishment. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these forward-looking statements as of the date of this press release, and 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.