First Marriott Marquis Hotel Outside of the United States Marks 1st Anniversary in Doha, Qatar

DOHA, QATAR--(Marketwired - Aug 17, 2015) - On August 1, 2015, the world's first Marriott Marquis hotel outside the United States of America, in the heart of Doha's West Bay District, has marked its 1st anniversary. In August 2014, the Renaissance Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments Doha City Center merged to form the new Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel, elevating facilities and services to exceed the expectations of today's discerning traveller. The property, which offers 577 luxurious rooms and suites and 1,200 square metres of flexible meeting space in a business-class environment, is a flagship in the globally renowned Marriott International portfolio.

The achievements of the Doha long stay hotel in its first year as a Marriott Marquis have been remarkable. Since the rebranding, the hotel welcomed an astounding 637,435 diners into its 10 acclaimed restaurants and hosted 1384 meetings in its innovative meeting space. Setting a new benchmark in service excellence and hospitality, the hotel has been awarded with seven Food and Beverage accolades in its first year and has been recognized within the Marriott International as 'Best Full Service Hotel of the Year' at the Marriott Middle East & Africa General Managers' Conference in May 2015.

The luxurious 5-star Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel is a property of Al Rayyan Tourism and Investment Company (ARTIC), the leading international hotel investment and hospitality company and subsidiary of Al Faisal Holding. The luxury hotel in Doha is in line with Marriott Hotels' "Marquis" strategy of the Marriott Hotels and JW Marriott Hotels brands. It is given to select properties that are distinguished by their exceptional offerings and iconic locations, including expansive meeting facilities, multiple restaurants, and grand event venues. The Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel, with its breath-taking views of the Doha skyline and Arabian Gulf, is no exception.

"We are extremely proud of our accomplishments in the first year, as it recognizes the outstanding achievements we have accomplished as a team, offering exceptional and thoughtful service," states General Manager, Andreas Wissdorf, on the successful first year of operation.

"We will continue to support the Qatar Tourism Authority with its vision of driving success through innovation and service excellence, staying true to Qatar's cultural roots. Marriott's new Meetings Imagined concept, Mobile Check In and the Great Room Concept show that we are leading with initiatives that take the guest experience to another level."

Commenting on the first anniversary, His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed Bin Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Vice Chairman of ARTIC, said: "The excellent achievements of the hotel in its first year reflect the success of ARTIC's strategy of partnering with leading international operators that are able to add value to our assets through providing the highest quality products and services. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Marriott and achieving even greater results together for many years to come."

Tarek El Sayed, Executive Board Member, added: "With Doha continuing to grow as a major international hub for both leisure and business travel the Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel was re-designed to meet and exceed the needs of today's demanding traveller. We believe that our hotel has the right offering to contribute significantly to Doha's ever stronger presence on the international tourism map."

On the occasion of the first anniversary, the hotel launches an exciting hotel offer for Doha and GCC Region Residents:

Staycation Anniversary Residents Offer - QR 577 for weekend stays

To celebrate the first anniversary in style, the hotel offers a very exclusive rate of QR 577. The rate reflects the 577 luxurious guest rooms the hotel features and is exclusively available to all Qatar and GCC Region Residents for overnight stays from Wednesday through Saturday. The scrumptious buffet breakfast in the award-winning Crossroads Restaurant will be available for QR 57 per person on this occasion. Add promotional code D3Q to book on Marriott.com. Advanced reservation is essential and a valid Qatari or GCC Resident Permit is required upon check in to avail the rate. The offer is valid until December 31, 2015 and remains subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

For bookings and inquiries, please call 00974 4419 5000 or visit www.marriottmarquisdoha.com

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,300 properties in 81 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

About Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (ARTIC)

Established in 2003, Al Rayyan Tourism and Investment Company (ARTIC), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Faisal Holding, based in Qatar. ARTIC is engaged in real estate development, acquisition and leasing with a primary focus on the hospitality sector and hospitality-related services both in Qatar and overseas.

In line with Al Faisal Holding's strategy for the growth of its domestic and international hospitality business, ARTIC's current portfolio comprises 24 hotels and projects in the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and North America. In addition to its hotel portfolio in prime cities around the world, ARTIC owns hospitality-related services providing cost-effective support services in a shared service model, including laundry, catering and procurement services.

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