Marriott International Celebrates 20 Years in Eastern Europe by Signing 2 More Hotel Deals

As the 518-room Warsaw Marriott Hotel celebrates the 20(th) anniversary of its grand opening this month, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) heralds two decades of solid growth in the region by announcing the signing of two more hotel operating agreements. The two newly signed hotels bring the company's development pipeline in the region to 10 properties due to open through 2012.

The Warsaw Marriott was Marriott's first hotel in the former Eastern Bloc and was the first western-managed hotel to open behind the then-Iron Curtain. Since then, Marriott's hotel portfolio in the region has grown to include 24 operating properties and more than 5,500 rooms in seven countries. Six lodging brands are represented: JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton in the luxury tier; Marriott and Renaissance in the full-service, upscale deluxe category; Courtyard by Marriott in the moderate tier and Marriott Executive Apartments for extended stay travelers looking for upscale accommodations. (Mr. Marriott's message to the Warsaw Marriott on YouTube).

"We are thrilled by the solid expansion and acceptance our brands portfolio has experienced in the region since we opened our first hotel in Warsaw 20 years ago," said Amy McPherson, president and managing director of lodging for Marriott International in Europe. "With a footing in most of the region's capital cities, not to mention six hotels in Moscow alone, we are pleased to see our expansion continue into secondary cities and provincial capitals in countries like Russia where we have established a strong presence. We are confident we are well positioned for continued growth in the region in the years to come."

Announced today are the:

    --  150-room Courtyard by Marriott Kazan, Russia, planned to open in early
        2010. The hotel is owned by OOO Dynamics Group and will be situated on
        Karl Marx Street in the heart of Kazan, in the Republic of Tartarstan.
        It will be the first Marriott-branded hotel in Tartarstan.

    --  204-room Courtyard by Marriott Irkutsk, Russia, scheduled for opening in
        2011. The hotel is owned by OOO Hotel Service and will be located in
        central Irkutsk near the central square and main regional government
        buildings as part of a mixed-use development that also includes office
        space.

When opened, both the Courtyard by Marriott Kazan and the Courtyard by Marriott Irkutsk will have an open lobby lounge and bar area that will flow into its casual, all-day restaurant that will serve a mix of fresh international and authentically local cuisine. The colorful and informal ambience of this public space will invite guests to linger over a cup of coffee or to gather with friends and colleagues for impromptu meetings. For recreation, each hotel will have a fitness center.

Guest rooms at each hotel will feature distinct areas for rest, relaxation and work. Amenities will include high speed internet access; flat screen television; in-room safe, iron and ironing board; coffee/tea maker and mini-refrigerator; and Marriott's renowned bed and bath linens. Business services such as an internet library with work stations will be part of the lobby lounge and each property will have a "Grab & Go" mini-market offering sundries and food items.

For conferences and social events, the Courtyard by Marriott Kazan will have 132 square meters of space comprised of a 132-meter main meeting room which will be divisible into three sections.

At the Courtyard by Marriott Irkutsk, conference space will total 422 square meters encompassing a 160-square meter main meeting room on the ground floor that will be divisible into three sections, making it the largest single room meeting space available in the city. Additional individual function rooms in varying configurations will be available on the ground and first levels.

Marriott International has eight additional properties currently under construction in the former Eastern Bloc nations including the Courtyard by Marriott Budapest and the Renaissance Budapest Hotel in Hungary; the JW Marriott Hotel Almaty in Kazakhstan; the Courtyard by Marriott Bucharest in Romania; and the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Center Hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre; the Krasnodar Marriott Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Moscow Paveletskaya Station in Russia. All are expected to open now through 2012.

NOTE: Statements about the locations and number of new hotels to be opened and their anticipated completion and opening dates are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those described in Marriott International, Inc.'s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which could cause the actual number of new hotels or their completion or opening dates to be different than expected.

About Courtyard: Courtyard by Marriott hotels offer a refreshing environment that help guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests' needs for choice and control. With more than 800 locations in 28 countries, Courtyard is Marriott's largest brand and the 11(th) largest hotel brand in the world. 200 additional Courtyard by Marriott hotels will open around the world over the next three years. All 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.

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

Editors Note: To search and download images on flickr, go to Marriott Eastern Europe Flickr.

To search and download images on our ftp site, go to http://portal.digilink-inc.com/marriottpr. Username: int02, password: int02. Search by brand, hotel name or keyword. To download, click on the solid arrow icon, save to your computer and open zip folder to get image.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

http://www.marriott.com

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