"I�d like to congratulate this year�s winners for their outstanding efforts and thank them for helping to make both Marriott and Renaissance the most preferred full-service brands among travelers," said Steve Joyce, executive vice president, owner and franchise services, Marriott International.  "We recognize that our owners and franchisees invest billions of dollars in Marriott brand hotels worldwide, and we value the strong partnerships we have developed and continue to develop.�

• Since acquiring their first Marriott hotel in 1998, CNL Hospitality of Orlando, Fla., has grown their portfolio to 69 Marriott lodging products.  The company will open Tampa�s first Renaissance hotel in mid-2004, and earlier this year opened downtown�s Seattle�s first full-service Marriott, the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel. 

• Concord Hospitality Enterprises of Mentor, Ohio has partnered with Marriott since 1980 with the opening of the West Des Moines Marriott.  Today the company owns and operates over 30 Marriott branded hotels, including the Renaissance Meadowlands Hotel in New Jersey and the Renaissance Quail Hollow Resort in Painseville, Ohio.

• In the past year, Kimberly Clark of Irving, Texas, has grown their portfolio of Marriott properties from two to six.  Recent openings include the Renaissance Grande Hotel, St. Louis, the Renaissance St. Louis Suites and the Renaissance Arts Hotel, New Orleans. 

• Larco Hospitality Management of Vancouver, Canada, is Marriott�s largest full-service franchisee in Canada.  The company owns and operates 14 Marriott branded hotels, including the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Spa & Golf and the Renaissance Toronto Skydome.  The company is scheduled to open the Toronto Airport Renaissance in 2004.

• White Lodging Services of Merrillville, Ind., first partnered with Marriott in 1990.  Today the company owns and operates more than 70 Marriott lodging products, including the recently opened Denver Marriott South and the Renaissance Denver Broomfield Suites. 

• Winegardner & Hammons, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has received Marriott�s Partnership Circle Award for six consecutive years.  The company owns and operates over 30 Marriott properties, including the Pittsburgh Marriott North, the Chicago Marriott Northwest and the Hartford/Windsor Marriott Airport. 

In addition to awarding the Partnership Circle Awards, Marriott also recognized 20 companies for their exceptional guest satisfaction scores and honored other owners and franchisees for their achievements in the following categories:

Partnership Circle
CNL Hospitality Corporation
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company
Kimberly Clark Corporation
Larco Hospitality Management, Inc.
White Lodging Services Corporation
Winegardner & Hammons, Inc.

Best New Product � Franchise
Ocean Properties for Wentworth by the Sea, A Marriott Hotel and Spa
Leisure Sports for Renaissance ClubSport Walnut Creek Hotel

Best New Product � Corporate Managed
Thayer Lodging Group for JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
Kimberly Clark Corporation for Renaissance Arts Hotel 

Opening of the Year � Franchise
Winegardner & Hammons, Inc. for Pittsburgh Marriott North
John Q. Hammons Hotels for Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center

Opening of the Year � Corporate Managed
CNL Hospitality Corporation for Seattle Marriott Waterfront
Thayer Lodging Group for JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes
Kimberly Clark Corporation for Renaissance Grand Hotel

Overall Satisfaction � Marriott (Guest Focus Award)
Commonwealth Hotels, Inc.
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company
MDM Hotel Group, Ltd.
Niagara 21st Group, Inc.
Noble Investment Group
Outrigger Lodging Services
Pinnacle Hotel Management
Trident Hospitality Management
Waterford Hotel Group
White Lodging Services Corporation
Winegardner & Hammons, Inc.

Overall Satisfaction � Renaissance (Guest Focus Award)
E.J. DelMonte Corporation
Leisure Sports
Sage Hospitality
White Lodging Services Corporation

Developer of the Year
CNL Hospitality Corporation
White Lodging Services Corporation

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading worldwide hospitality company with over 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 68 other countries and territories.