September 21, 2012 - Marriott International’s world-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, announced today plans to convert the existing 118-room Bristol Buenaventura, making it the first resort and first hotel for the brand in Panama. The future JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort will be located within the master-planned Buenaventura beachfront community, near the town of Rio Hato, about 80 miles southwest of Panama City, on the Pacific Coast of Panama. The property will be operated by Marriott under an agreement with the Bristol Hospitality Group, which will retain ownership of the resort.

“Bristol Buenaventura’s exotic and tropical seaside location along with its luxurious accommodations, amenities and services, has made it Panama’s premiere resort destination. We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Marriott International and to join the portfolio of world-class luxury JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand,” said Alberto Vallarino Clement, owner of the Bristol Hospitality Group.

The property is located in Buenaventura, undoubtedly Panama’s most exclusive resort community, approximately 80 miles southwest of Panama City on Panama’s Pacific coast. The resort is nestled on 1,000 lush acres with 118 accommodations, including five expansive suites and four residence-style villas.

“Mr. Alberto Vallarino had an extraordinary vision to build the country’s top luxury beach and golf resort community and we are honored to brand this beautiful hotel as a JW Marriott and begin this new collaboration with Bristol Hospitality Group in Panama,” says Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International, Inc. in the Caribbean & Latin America. “The pacific coast of Panama has all of the ingredients to become a world class resort destination and we are excited to be at the forefront of that effort with our flagship brand.”

In addition to 118 guest rooms and suites, the resort features five restaurants, a recently opened 18-hole Nicklaus Design course, a fitness center, spa, kids club and new beach club complete with breathtaking infinity pool and waterfront butler service. The hotel has 517 square meters of meeting space, including a grand ballroom and four smaller meeting rooms.

Marriott International is currently represented in Panama by the 296-room Panama City Marriott Hotel, the 248-room Courtyard by Marriott Panama Real Hotel, the 120-room Courtyard Panama City MetroMall and the 126-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Panama City, Finisterre.

About JW Marriott
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today’s sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. 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 55 JW Marriott hotels in 23 countries; by 2015 the portfolio is expected to encompass 78 properties in 28 countries. www.marriott.com/jw-marriott/travel.mi

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