Marriott International to Introduce Family-Friendly, Budget-Savvy Hotels at Two of Thailand’s Hot Destinations

Bethesda, MD.- With the opening of four Courtyard by Marriott hotels over the next six months, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) will help make family travel more affordable at two of Thailand’s most popular holiday destinations—Phuket and Hua Hin. At the same time, the four openings will bring Marriott’s portfolio to 11 operating hotels and resorts in Thailand with another seven hotels and resorts planned to open through 2010.

Offering a total of 1,078 rooms, the four opening Courtyard properties are the:
• 399-room Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Patong Beach, opening (2nd quarter 2008)
• 256-room Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Surin Beach, opening (1st quarter 2008)
• 180-room Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Kamala Beach, opening (2nd quarter 2008)
• 243-room Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin at Cha-Am Beach, opening (2nd quarter 2008)

All are conversions of existing hotels and are currently undergoing extensive renovations designed to make them appealing to upper-moderate- and lower-upscale-minded travelers who value functionality, safety and comfort. The largest of Marriott’s 18 lodging brands with nearly 800 properties worldwide, Courtyard by Marriott focuses on its guest rooms and its in-room amenities, while public spaces are open and bright, offering a casual ambience, a welcoming environment, comfortable gathering places and good food.

“We are really excited about these four hotels,” said John Toomey, Marriott’s area marketing director for Hong Kong, Macau & Southeast Asia. “Our Courtyard brand has earned a strong, positive reputation worldwide for its welcoming environment. Not only will these hotels offer great value, but they will provide vacationers with a choice of travel experiences—lively on Patong Beach, more laid-back at Surin and Kamala with their long, uncluttered beaches, and a picturesque getaway nestled between Hua Hin and the sleepy fishing village of Cha Am, just a two-hour drive from Bangkok.

“We are also excited by the recent phenomenal growth and popularity of our lodging brands in Thailand,” he continued. “By the end of 2010, we will be able to offer travelers a choice of 18 hotels throughout Thailand—from our JW Marriott luxury brand, our deluxe Marriott and Renaissance hotels, Courtyard and our Marriott Executive Apartments brand for extended stay travelers.

“In Phuket, in particular, we are experiencing sensational growth,” Mr. Toomey pointed out. “Our JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, the three Courtyard hotels and our very successful Marriott Vacation Club International vacation ownership property will be joined later in 2008 by the Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa at Kamala Cove and, by 2010, by the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa. In very short order, we expect to be the largest international lodging brand company represented in one of the world’s foremost holiday destinations.”

Kids Get Special Attention at Holiday Destination Courtyards
A primary attraction at all four opening Courtyard hotels will be their creative and colorful Kids Clubs.

More than just an area for children to swim and hang out, the Kids Clubs will offer a full array of sports and cultural activities from an arts and crafts studio, a science lab, a computer room, a “pretend” costume/dress up area to cooking classes. Children will also be able to enjoy a kids-sized movie theater and the Ball House, place for them to jump and play surrounded by hundreds of mini-balls, while parents will be offered baby-sitting services to let them get away and enjoy the destination on their own for a few hours. Each Courtyard hotel will also feature a giant water slide ranging from 32 to 60 meters in a swirling, turning and twisting configuration.

The Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin at Cha-Am Beach will have a special treat for older kids: a teen hangout and an area for families to spend fun-time together, featuring both indoor and outdoor games and recreational activities such as pool, table tennis and video game stations.

All four opening Courtyard hotels will offer spacious accommodations featuring Marriott’s renowned plush bed and bath linens, at least one restaurant, a swimming pool, a fully equipped fitness center, water sports equipment center, a tour desk offers information about area cultural and recreational activities, a Grab & Go counter for those in a hurry, a gift shop and conference space.

These four Courtyards will be situated in desirable locations either on or near the beach or in middle of the action:

• Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Patong Beach. The hotel will be right in the heart of lively, action-packed Patong within a short walk of the famous Patong Beach and the destination’s many restaurants, bars, shops and nightlife.

• Courtyard by Marriott at Surin Beach. The hotel will be located near Surin Beach just across from a stretch of largely undeveloped pristine, sandy beachfront that is well-known for its seafood stalls, restaurants and such water sports activities as snorkeling, kayaking, boogie-boarding and surfing.

• Courtyard by Marriott Kamala Beach. The hotel will be within a five-minute walk of Kamala Beach. Nearby is Phuket Fantasea, a 140-acre, Thai-cultural theme park featuring a festival village with carnivals, games and shopping.

• Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin at Cha-Am Beach. The hotel will be situated directly on Cha-Am Beach within walking distance of many freestanding shops and restaurants.

Both the Courtyard by Marriott at Surin Beach and Courtyard by Marriott at Kamala Beach will feature their own beach club located right on the beautiful Surin and Kamala beaches. Both will offer beach-side food and beach facilities for the convenience of each hotel’s guests.

Opening rates at the Courtyard by Marriott Patong Beach, Courtyard by Marriott at Surin Beach and the Courtyard by Marriott Kamala Beach will range from 4,000 to 11,000 THB in low season, 5,500 to 12,000 THB in shoulder season and 9,500 to 19,500 THB. At the Courtyard by Marriott Hua Hin Cha-Am Beach, rates will range from 3,000 to 8,000 THB in low season; 5,000 to 11,000 THB in shoulder season and 7,000 to 13,500 THB in high season. All rates quoted depend on accommodations type.

Marriott recently opened its first Courtyard hotel in Thailand, the 318-room Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok. “It was an instant success right from opening day with occupancies consistently approaching the high eighties,” Mr. Toomey reported.

Other Marriott International-branded hotels scheduled to open in Thailand through 2010 include:

• 195-unit Sathorn Vista, Bangkok—Marriott Executive Apartments (2008)
• 333-room Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel (2008)
• 202-room Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa (2008)
• 300-unit Sukhumvit Park, Bangkok—Marriott Executive Apartments (2010)
• 310-room Renaissance Bangkok Sukhumvit Hotel (2010)
• 92-unit Benchasiri Place, Bangkok—Marriott Executive Apartments (2010)
• 175-room Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa (2010)

Today, Marriott International offers travelers a choice of seven hotels in Thailand: the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok, Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa, Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok, The Mayfair, Bangkok—Marriott Executive Apartments, the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, the Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa and the Pattaya Marriott Resort & Spa.

Marriott International (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with 3,000 lodging properties in 69 countries and territories worldwide. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and had approximately 151,000 employees at 2006 yearend. It is ranked as the lodging industry’s most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE magazine. The company is also a 2006 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR Partner. In fiscal year 2006, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $12.2 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.