Seattle, WA. – June, 2010– Courtyard by Marriott is bringing a new hotel to life in an historic building in the heart of Pioneer Square.  The 1904 Alaska Building was born as a bank to accommodate gold prospectors flocking to Seattle (the “Gateway to the Klondike”) and is now scheduled to open June 9, 2010 with 262 newly designed guest rooms, a restaurant (“The Bistro”) with full service bar, and over 4,600 square feet of meeting space.  This 15-story Seattle hotel located at 612 2nd Avenue will operate as a Marriott managed hotel and is owned by 618 Master Tenant LLC.  The Alaska Building “symbolized the significance of the gold rush in Seattle,” Lisa Mighetto and Marcia Babcock Montgomery write in their book, Hard Drive to the Klondike.  “The porthole windows along the top floor looked out over the waterfront, providing a view of the shipbuilding, shipping and rail industries that the gold rush encouraged.  For many years a gold nugget embedded in the building’s front door reminded visitors of the stampede and the city’s connection to the Far North.”  .

The 1904 Alaska Building was born as a bank  .

Courtyard Guests will be within walking distance to Qwest Field (home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC), Safeco Field (home of the Seattle Mariners), and many of the city’s greatest attractions.  The hotel is also one block away from Pioneer Square Station with easy access on the Sound Transit Link Light Rail to SeaTac International Airport, where a one way adult ticket is only $2.50.  This station gives guests access to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, the Cruise Terminals and the Washington State Convention Center via through the Metro bus system. 

“From day one, Courtyard has prided itself as a brand that listens to what business travelers want from a hotel,” said Janis Milham, 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.”   Visitors can experience the “refreshing business” lobby prior to opening by visiting www.gocourtyard.com (a highly interactive website), though these virtual tours will not be identical to the historic and distinctive Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square.

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. 

The on-site restaurant and bar, The Bistro, will compliment Pioneer Square’s reputation for having the most memorable dining and nightlife in Seattle.  The Bistro has been designed both to celebrate the history of the building by incorporating key structural elements while at the same time making both business travelers and sports fans feel welcome with casual, flexible seating options. 

The Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square has nine meeting rooms with over 4,600 square feet of flexible space.  The largest of them with 18-foot ceilings, the Alaska Club Ballroom, can accommodate up to 120 people banquet-style and was named after a prominent commercial organization of residents and entrepreneurs during the turn of the century, The Alaska Club.  The other meeting rooms are named after territories in the Alaskan Gold Rush (Klondike, Kodiak, Yukon, Juneau and Fairbanks). 

26 of the Hotel’s 262 guest rooms are specifically designed for those guests to wish to check in for an extended amount of time (30 nights or longer).  These extended-stay rooms have cooking amenities, sleeper sofas, and all of the luxuries of a hotel without the commitment of an apartment or corporate-housing lease.  The guests who prefer to utilize rooms like this are often relocating to Seattle or on a long-term project.  The rates for these rooms are less expensive based on the number of nights the guest stays.

Courtyard by Marriott is the leading select-service hotel brand in the United States. Providing guests with a combination of casual comfort and time saving services, Courtyard hotels feature large functional guest rooms and are conveniently situated where people travel. All Courtyards now offer free high-speed Internet service to guests. Locations range from airports and office parks to downtown areas and recreational destinations. Several locations feature revitalized historical buildings. Courtyard has over 800 hotels worldwide. Courtyard 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 3,100 Marriott hotels worldwide.

For more information or reservations, call the Courtyard hotel directly at 206-625-1111, call the Courtyard toll-free number at 800-321-2211, contact a travel agent or visit the web site at www.courtyardpioneersquare.com.