First Hispanic-owned Hotel in Washington, DC Opens

Celebrates Grand Opening With Mayor Adrian Fenty

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. June 03, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC, June 3, 2009 - Courtyard by Marriott in NoMa District Features High Tech GoBoard(TM), Flexible Work and Social Spaces and Healthy, High Quality Food Options at The Bistro - Eat. Drink. Connect.

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is celebrating the grand opening today of the Courtyard by Marriott Washington, D.C./U.S. Capitol, owned by a diverse team of Hispanic and African-American business leaders -- another great example of Marriott's Diversity Ownership Initiative. D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty will be in attendance and will make brief remarks. Located in the city's newly redeveloped NoMa (north of Massachusetts Ave.) at 1325 Second Street, N.E., the 218-room Courtyard Washington DC/U.S. Capitol is the first in the area to feature the new lobby, room design and the "refreshing business" makeover.

Adjacent to the New York Avenue Metrorail Station, five minutes from the U.S. Capitol and six miles from the Ronald Reagan National Airport, the Courtyard Washington DC/U.S. Capitol offers guests convenient access to Union Station, the Library of Congress, the National Mall and the Verizon Center. The hotel also features a green roof.

"We are very excited about the opening of this hotel and to be a part of the exciting revitalization of the NoMa area," said majority owner Robert Finvarb, CEO of Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC, based in Miami, Fla. "I'm also proud to open the first Hispanic-owned hotel in the city and to work with Marriott once again. Their diverse ownership initiative is the best in the industry." Finvarb is a Georgetown University Law Center alumnus and CEO of Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC, majority owner of the hotel. Co-owners are local investors Dave Wilmot of Harmon, Wilmot, Brown & Bagwell, LLP, Craig Welburn of Welburn Hospitality, Thomas Hopkins, and Dr. Barron Harvey.

"We are thrilled to have a hotel open in NoMa that will support our office tenants, local businesses, the Federal government and nearby organizations such as Gallaudet University," said Elizabeth Price, President of the NoMa Business Improvement District (BID).

Courtyard by Marriott was the first lodging brand exclusively designed for business travel by business travelers. And now it has completely redefined the hotel lobby experience. This Marriott International "power brand" is fast-tracking its lobby makeover, which you can learn more about through guest-guided video tours and the latest brand news on www.gocourtyard.com.

"From day one, Courtyard has prided itself as a brand that listens to what business travelers want from a hotel," said Brian King, vice president, Global Brand Manager, Courtyard by Marriott. "Guests want more control and choice with services and amenities that create a healthy balance between working and relaxing. We redefined the Courtyard lobby so it invites guests to get out of their rooms to work, socialize or for entertainment, whether traveling alone or with colleagues."

The open, bright and contemporary new Courtyard hotel lobby welcomes guests with vivid contrasting colors, including blue, green, orange and red. The traditional front desk is replaced with separate welcome pedestals to create more personal and private interactions when guests check in. Flexible seating options range from a communal table in the middle of the action, to more private media booths with high-definition televisions, to a more intimate, semi-enclosed lounge area.

A signature element of the new lobby is the exclusive Courtyard GoBoard(TM), a 52-inch LCD touch screen packed with local information, maps, weather, and news, business and sports headlines. Guests can navigate using the touch screen to find restaurants, local attractions and directions.

Guests can connect to free WiFi and there are ample electrical outlets throughout the lobby to power digital devices. The enlarged business library features several complimentary computer terminals along with a free printer and separate computer stations dedicated to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight status.

Dining has been completely redesigned with The Bistro - Eat. Drink. Connect., offering casual, flexible seating; easier access to food and higher quality, healthier menu options for breakfast; and light evening fare, including snacks, wine and beer so guests can unwind. The Market(TM), a 24/7 shop for snacks, beverages and sundries, is always open for late-night cravings or the toothpaste you forgot to pack.

The eight-story hotel offers 2,800 square feet of meeting space to accommodate small meetings and functions of up to 100 people. Other guest facilities and services include the Bistro restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner, an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, guest laundry and business center.

NoMa is a rapidly developing mixed-use neighborhood north of the U.S. Capitol and Union Station in Washington, D.C. In 2007-2008, private developers invested over $1 billion in the 35-block area covered by the NoMa BID, and have plans to develop more than 20 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, and retail space over the next ten years.