PHOTO: Marriott celebrated the opening of its 4,000th hotel, Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C., in May.

Marriott International, Inc., founded by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott in 1927 and now led by CEO Arne M. Sorenson, hasn’t thrived for more than 80 years by doing the bare minimum. That’s why it’s no surprise that the hotel company celebrated its 4,000th hotel this year and will debut its 18th brand in the fall.

The Maryland-based company now boasts roughly 325,000 associates across more than 70 countries worldwide. It continues to post solid financial numbers, as well, from fiscal year 2013 ($13 billion in revenues) to the second quarter of 2014.

But Marriott doesn’t intend on slowing down anytime soon. The company’s development pipeline is extensive, and it continues to blaze the trail with bold investments in such things as the shared services model.

So, what exactly is Marriott doing that is making it stand out in the hospitality industry? And what does it have planned for the future? Read on.

Debut of Marriott’s 4,000th Hotel

In May, Marriott celebrated the opening of its 4,000th hotel, Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C.

The hotel, boasting 1,175 rooms (including 49 suites) and soaring 16 stories up into the D.C. sky, is the largest hotel in the nation’s capital.

Its event and meeting space alone encompasses more than 100,000 square feet. That includes 83 separate meeting rooms (encompassing 53,000 square feet), 54 breakout rooms, an 18,000-square-foot indoor event terrace, a 2,500-square-foot rooftop terrace, two 10,800-square-foot ballrooms and, last but not least, the 30,600-square-foot Marquis Ballroom. The space even connects to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center via an underground concourse.

The two Presidential Suites and the two Marquis Suites highlight the accommodation offerings at the hotel. Each Presidential Suite is 1,745 square feet. The property also boasts an 8,000-square-foot fitness center, the 6,500-square-foot indoor/outdoor M Club Lounge, five restaurants and bars, a full-service business center and mobile check-in services.

And in an effort to be green-friendly, the property was also designed to earn LEED Silver status, complete with an atrium-centered lobby.

Guest amenities include free Wi-Fi access, specially designed work areas and interactive LCD televisions. If you are into art, the property also features a 56-foot-tall, 27,000-pound sculpture called “Birth of the American Flag.” It’s the largest sculpture in any Marriott hotel on the planet. In fact, art and design are big parts of Marriott Marquis Washington, D.C. As many as 111 different design elements are incorporated into the hotel.

It’s only fitting that Marriott’s 4,000th hotel would offer so much.

For more information, visit www.dcmarquis.com.

Marriott Franchises Atlantis, Paradise Island

PHOTO: Atlantis, Paradise Island is now a part of the Autograph Collection.

Marriott had been eyeing the historic Atlantis, Paradise Island ever since it established the Autograph Collection — a group of independent hotels — in 2010.

In July, the company’s dedication paid off, officially announcing that it would be including the 3,400-key Bahamas resort in the Autograph Collection and integrating it with Marriott’s global sales, reservations and rewards systems.

Atlantis, owned by Brookfield Asset Management, will be the collection’s largest property and its first property in the Bahamas when it is officially becomes part of the Autograph Collection in the fall. It features 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, as well as the largest casino in the Bahamas, extensive meeting facilities and a 141-acre waterscape complete with lagoons, pools and habitats.

The highly praised property was named the Bahamas’ Leading Resort and the Caribbean’s Leading Casino Resort at the 2013 World Travel Awards. It has been nominated for six different awards for the 21st annual event this year.

Atlantis, Paradise Island will represent Marriott’s 80th property in the Caribbean. It’s part of Marriott’s investment in the Caribbean and Latin America regions. Marriott expects to offer more than 150 hotels across the two regions by 2017, representing 27 countries.

The resort will operate under a long-term franchise agreement. Marriott has provided a $100 million mezzanine loan to the project.

For more information, visit www.atlantis.com or call 800-ATLANTIS.

New Moxy Brand

PHOTO: Moxy Milan Malpensa Airport

Moxy Milan Malpensa Airport will be the first property under Marriott’s new Moxy Hotels brand when it debuts in September.

Designed around the brand’s youthful mindset, Moxy Milan will include high-tech rooms, a boutique-inspired lobby, an upbeat, comfortable lounge, and a 24/7 self-service café and cocktail bar — starting at a budget-friendly price.

The hotel’s 162 rooms include free Wi-Fi access, sound-reducing walls, 42-inch LCD flat-screen TVs, power showers, large bathroom mirrors, comfy bedding and snug armchairs. The rooms will be complemented by a variety of art (a focus of the property), such as floor-to-ceiling art pieces. The goal is to provide functional yet uncluttered rooms for guests and several public and private spaces.

The airy lobby will feature raw materials and organic and linear lines, as well as a warm blend of colors and shapes throughout the establishment. A library will be included for those looking to lounge and read a good book.

Speaking of lounging, the lounge will feature eclectic, soothing music, complemented by eye-catching art and ambient lighting. The café will offer food and drink options for guests to taste at their leisure. Food items include sandwiches, custom-made salads, chicken tagine, beef rendang and more. Drink options include cocktails, craft beers and specialty wines for the evening.

Rates will start at $105 per night. An early-bird rate of $74 is available for stays from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.

Five additional Moxy Hotels are slated to open in Europe by the end of 2015 — four in Germany and one is Oslo, Norway. The brand is expected to add 150 hotels within the next 10 years.

For more information visit www.moxyhotels.com.

Marriott Continues to Invest in Shared Services Model

When Marriott introduced the world’s first hospitality finance and accounting shared services model 13 years ago, there was plenty of risk involved. The shared services model, which includes a separate business unit or units within a company tasked with certain services, has seen its fair share of detractors since the concept was introduced, but Marriott has rolled along in spite of the critics.

In fact, Marriott Business Services (MBS) was so successful that Marriott invested even more in the shared services model late last year, transitioning its F&A services to longtime partner Accenture. The resulting Accenture Hospitality Services has only continued making strides. Since the transition, Marriott’s shared services model has expanded worldwide to 20 countries, 15 currencies and 13,000 users. There has been an estimated 25 percent cost savings during this time.

Marriott’s partnership with Accenture allows its shared services model to be spread out across 16 separate Accenture F&A centers worldwide, from Tennessee to India. That means more exposure across the planet, and the potential to service more clients more effectively and fluidly.

So far, it appears that the vision of Michael — senior vice president of shared services for Marriott — has paid off for Marriott. It’s yet another example of why hotel companies, travel businesses and travel agents need to be forward-thinking to rise above the competition.

For more information, go to www.accenture.com.

Marriott Releases Second Quarter Earnings for 2014

Marriott recently released its 2014 second quarter financial report, boasting strong numbers across the board. The company featured increases in several key categories, including net income (up 7 percent year-over-year), RevPAR (5.8 percent worldwide, 6 percent North America), ADR (3.5 percent), Adjusted EBITDA (10 percent) and more.

Marriott expects to beat 2013’s numbers this year in several areas, as well. That includes RevPAR (projected increase of 5 to 7 percent worldwide) and Adjusted EBITDA (11 to 14 percent).

Marriott’s strong numbers are mirrored by the company’s development. More than 18,700 rooms were added worldwide in the second quarter alone. There are nearly 215,000 rooms featured in the company’s development pipeline across 1,300 properties (that includes about 30,000 rooms approved, but not yet subject to signed contracts).

According to Sorenson, who is both president and CEO of Marriott International, the company expects to have a record development year, with contracts in place for roughly 295 hotels (47,000 contracts already signed), via the second quarter report.

Visit www.marriott.com for more information.