Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced today the opening of the first majority Hispanic-owned Courtyard by Marriott hotel on April 15 in Washington, D.C. – another great example of Diversity Ownership Initiative. 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 owned by Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC of Miami, Fla. and 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 Robert Finvarb, CEO of Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC. “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.”

This is the ninth Marriott-branded hotel with Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC. 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. Additional Robert Finvarb Companies, LLC hotels include: Florida - Courtyard South Beach, Dania Beach Airport, SpringHill Suites Miami Health District, and two Residence Inns at Melbourne Airport and Tallahassee Downtown; California – Residence Inn San Jose Airport, SpringHill Suites San Jose Airport; and Arizona - Residence Inn Phoenix Mayo Clinic.

“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 GoBoardTM, 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 MarketTM, 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. For more information about the BID, including an interactive development map, see the BID Web site at http://www.nomabid.org.

There are currently more than 800 Courtyard hotels worldwide and the brand participates in the company’s award-winning Marriott Rewards® frequent guest program. Members earn their choice of points toward free vacations or frequent flyer mileage for dollars spent at more than 3,000 Marriott hotels worldwide.

For more information or reservations, call the Courtyard Washington DC/U.S. Capitol hotel directly at 202-898-4000, call the Courtyard toll-free number at 800-321-2211, contact a travel agent or visit the web site at www.courtyard.com.

Blake Little
+1-301-380-5669
Marriott