November 01, 2011 - Marriott International’s (NYSE:MAR) world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott, announced today a new JW Marriott Manama, Bahrain Hotel, in the Kingdom of Bahrain, under management agreement with owner Khaleejcapita B.S.C., to open in 2016.  The hotel will have 274 rooms and suites and 102 residences in Bahrain Bay, adjacent to Bahrain Financial Harbour and opposite the diplomatic quarter.

The 50-story hotel tower is part of Bahrain Bay, a $2.5 billion development master planned by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The project is designed by renowned architect Yousif Daoud Al Sayegh and Associates who designed the Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay, Oman (Winner of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s first Estidama Sustainability Award 2008.)

“The JW Marriott Bahrain will be a spectacular addition to the Bahrain Bay development,” said Mr. Abdul-Aziz Al-Rabban chairman of Khaleejcapita B.S.C. “Bahrain has an under supply of luxury 5-star hotels and we are confident that the project will be a great success”, he added.  He also explained that this project represents the first entry for the group in the hospitality field and that there are many other hotel and resort projects in the pipeline for Bahrain and Qatar. The Managing Director Dr. Fadhel Al-arrayed explained that the development has a prime business location and will also cater to the thriving fine dining market in Bahrain, with five luxury restaurants. He also added that the hotel will have a luxury spa and sport and leisure facilities.

The hotel will have an executive lounge with ocean view; one casual and five specialty restaurants; four lounges, including a lobby lounge and bar, a pool bar, quiet bar and rooftop lounge/bar; and 17,119 square feet of meeting space.  Recreational facilities will include a health and leisure club and spa, indoor and outdoor pool, tennis and squash courts.

“Our currently open hotels in Bahrain, the Marriott Executive Apartments and The Ritz-Carlton, have been tremendously successful, and we believe that this JW Marriott Manama is ideally located for a luxury hotel in Bahrain’s commercial and financial center,” said Ed Fuller, president and managing director of International Lodging for Marriott International.  “Our JW Marriott brand is reserved for select luxury hotels in key gateway cities around the world, and Bahrain is certainly one of these.”

“Each JW Marriott delivers a warmly authentic, relaxed and elegant environment that is unique to the luxury segment,” said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president, JW Marriott brand management, Marriott International.  “In this case, our elegantly appointed business hotel will have the many amenities of a resort for business and leisure visitors to Bahrain.”

The JW Marriott Manama Bahrain Hotel will be the first JW Marriott property in Bahrain and the fifth JW Marriott hotel in the Middle East/Africa region. Marriott International will also open a 78-unit Residence Inn by Marriott in 2012 and the 318-room Renaissance Bahrain Amwaj Island Hotel in 2013.

About JW Marriott
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio and consists of exceptional properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world.  JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 52 JW Marriott hotels in 22 countries.  www.marriott.com/jw-marriott/travel.mi.

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