With the current economic difficulties we’re all experiencing, we know guests are looking to add value to their hotel stays.  You may remember that earlier in the year, we gave guests a $20 Target™ GiftCard with a weekend stay.  That was an immensely popular promotion so we decided to repeat it for the summer.  But this time we wanted to give our guests the option to choose where to use their gift card, and the beauty of this card is it can be used anywhere in the world Visa® is accepted.

The launch of this promotion got me thinking, “What would I buy with an extra $20?”  One of my favorite indulgences is going for ice cream at Gifford’s Ice Cream & Candy Co. in Washington, D.C.  Gifford’s has been a local D.C. favorite for almost 70 years.  I love to grab a scoop of their monthly special (Caramel Apple Crunch is my favorite!) and walk around town checking out the latest happenings in the city.

What about you?  What would you do with your $20 Visa® Gift card?  Leave a comment and share what you’d do with your extra spending money.  I hope you’re able to get away and take advantage of this great offer this summer.

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

This is a huge milestone for Courtyard and it really shows the brand’s size and strength. With over 830 hotels worldwide, Courtyard has some of the most loyal guests in the hospitality industry. They have come to rely on and expect the superior accommodations and high level of service we provide, and are comfortable knowing that one of our hotels is never very far away.

The Waikiki Beach Courtyard is a gorgeous property in a fantastic location. I hope you’ll stay there with us if you find yourself in Hawaii, or in another Courtyard hotel in any of the other 49 U.S. states!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

It is a hotel of many firsts. To begin with, it is the first Hispanic-owned hotel in Washington, D.C. Diversity is a big part of our culture at Marriott and we’re thrilled to add another minority-owned hotel to our portfolio. It is also the first hotel to open in the NoMa district and the first hotel in Washington, D.C., to feature the new Refreshing Business lobby design. And finally, it is the first Marriott hotel in D.C. to have a green roof. We’ve been working hard to make our hotels as green as possible and this green roof made of grass is going to help us save a lot of energy and even helps heat our indoor pool!

There’s a lot of excitement within our company and throughout the city about this hotel and today’s event brought out a lot of local VIPs. D.C.’s mayor, Adrian Fenty, attended and spoke at the event, as did D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Both spoke about how great the hotel looks and how it will contribute to the revitalization of this area and D.C.’s continued growth. A few members of the D.C. City Council, the hotel’s owners and some Marriott executives were also in attendance.

It was wonderful to see so many people so excited about our hotel and its flurry of firsts, especially here in D.C. This is where Marriott was founded and it’s important for us to continue to grow and give back to our local community. We have some great pictures and video from today’s event that I’ve posted below and hope you’ll check out.

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

It shows guests using the lobby space as many of the new elements unfold before them. I really love the unfolding effect – it makes it interesting to watch and reminds me of origami!

I’ve posted it below, so please take a look and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

A lot has changed for Courtyard and for Barbara over the past year, too. She just joined the social media revolution . Today Barbara launched her Hotel Check-In blog for USA right from the lobby of our Courtyard at BWI Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, where she wrote her first posts.

She set up shop, plugging in her laptop at The Bistro counter and using the free Wi-Fi we offer. Barbara made me laugh when she described the breakfast buzz in the lobby as “Starbucks on steroids.”.

I chatted with her for about 90 minutes and answered questions about the brand, the new lobby roll-out and even our Starbucks coffee offerings. But the heart of our conversation revolved around how both customers and our associates have responded to the new design. The lobby of the past was “transaction focused” space. Today the lobby stands on its own as a unique and refreshing “space to experience.” The lobby fully supports our guests’ needs for both business and personal travel. It was great to sit down with Barbara today and I was so thrilled to be able to take part in the launch of her new blog all about the hotel industry.

Thanks to you, the readers, and to Barbara for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

This year’s meeting was fantastic. There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm among our Courtyard team about all the new initiatives within the brand — especially our new Refreshing Business lobby concept. Right now, 29 of our Courtyards in North America have the new lobby and we expect another 100 to have it by the end of this year.

It was also an excellent forum to hold intimate discussions with the General Managers. I was able to communicate many important brand messages to them and they were able to share their thoughts and concerns with me. I received a lot of helpful feedback and ideas from them.

Most importantly, I was thrilled to see that, although times are tough in this current economic climate, our team is overwhelming optimistic. They are working harder and closer together than ever to make sure Courtyard remains the top hotel brand for business travelers around the world.

I’m so grateful I was able to spend so much time with our Courtyard leaders in such a wonderful city and look forward to the next time we meet again!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

Marriott has been working with the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation to help protect 1.4 million acres of rainforest in The Juma Sustainable Development Reserve in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. And now, you, our guests, can help too. For as little as US$10, or US$1 a day for 10 days, you can offset the greenhouses gases generated and emitted during your stay by helping to protect this rainforest.

Rainforests are like the lungs of the earth and help to breathe in the carbon that is released into the air from our greenhouse gas emissions. If we do not help protect this rainforest, more than 60 percent of it will be lost to illegal deforestation by 2050, which will result in 4 million tons of carbon being released into the atmosphere in the first 10 years alone.

This is a really important new initiative for Marriott and all our brands. I hope you’ll check out our site where you can make your contribution to help protect the rainforest in the Juma Reserve. I’ve also included a video below, as well as some pictures from a trip some Marriott associates recently made to Juma. And, you can keep up to date with all of Marriott’s green practices through our Marriott Green Twitter site, as well as learn how to Travel Green on Facebook.

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go – and the earth a little greener.

Brian

Today’s celebration was really spectacular. It was attended by many VIPs from all over China and featured a traditional music and costumed dancers. The celebration ended with the lighting of festive firecrackers that officially marked the opening of the hotel.

And back at our headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, the associates there are joining the celebration, too. A traditional Chinese lion dance will be performed right outside of the cafeteria and traditional Chinese food will be served for lunch. A video of the ceremony that took place in China will also be played so associates in the U.S. can commemorate the occasion as well.

We chose to celebrate this milestone in Shanghai to reflect the brand’s global growth and reach. Currently, we have Courtyard hotels in 28 countries around the world. This is the seventh Courtyard to open in China and we plan to open another one there later this year. The brand is also growing rapidly in other parts of Asia as we plan to open five new Courtyards in India in 2009 and eight new Courtyards in the Middle East by the end of 2011.

It is remarkable how far the brand has come from its first hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, that opened in 1983.

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go…at 800 strong, and counting!

Brian

We know a lot of our weekend guests like to get some shopping done while they’re on the road, so we thought we’d give them a little extra spending money. So, today I want to tell you about an exciting offer we have going on at our Courtyard hotels right now. Any weekend guests who stay a Friday or Saturday night at a Courtyard between February 5 and April 6, 2009 will receive a $20 Target GiftCard when they check in.

All you have to do is book your trip between now and February 23, 2009 and use the booking code YB3. You can see the rest of the terms and conditions by clicking here.

I hope you’re able to get away to enjoy a weekend at a Courtyard and take advantage of the $20 Target GiftCard. There’s no better way to shop than with a gift card!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

It can be used at any Marriott property and it never expires, so the recipient can go wherever they want, whenever they want. The Courtyard gift card can be used to pay for rooms, food, beverages or any other services the hotel may offer. Or, for those who love our bedding and other amenities, it can even be used on our www.shopcourtyard.com site.

You can choose exactly how much your gift is worth by putting anywhere from $50 - $9,999 on the card. And, as an added bonus, now through December 31st, Marriott Rewards members will receive points when they purchase a gift card using their Marriott Rewards credit card.

While you can buy a Courtyard gift card any time of year, now is the perfect time to bring some holiday cheer to those who love to travel. You can pick one up at any Courtyard hotel or at www.gifts.marriott.com.

Here’s to a wonderful holiday season and thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

Now you can buy the actual Courtyard bed as well as the mattress topper, blanket, linens and pillows that go with it. You can also order our bath and body products from the Davies Gate line and our very soft terry velour kimono bath robe. Another great item that I really recommend is the curved shower rod and shower curtain we use in our Courtyard bathrooms as the curved rod really makes you feel like you have much more room to shower.

All of these items are available on www.shopcourtyard.com so take a look and pick up something for yourself or someone on your holiday gift list!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

“I’m blogging today from the brand new Courtyard by Marriott at the Newport News Airport in southeastern Virginia. Today we’re celebrating Courtyard’s 25th anniversary. We opened the first one in 1983 and there are a lot of alums here today who were at the first opening and who continued on with our company to today.

Since the very beginning, Courtyard has been a leader in the lodging industry, known for being innovative and specifically catering to the needs of business travelers. Twenty five years later, we’re still leading the pack. We’re continuing to grow, reinvent and innovate. We’re in more than 30 different countries now and we’ll have our 800th hotel open in 2009.

But this is really a different and exciting hotel. When you walk in the lobby, it’s a real “wow”. You get to see a lot of color, a lot of space, a brand new food and beverage operation, a new market where you can grab and go and take things with you when you leave to eat on the road or wherever you’re going.

I toured the property today and I was very impressed with the size and the expansion of the health club, the outdoor seating area where you have a fire pit, a beautiful indoor pool, a lot of meeting space and the guest rooms are just fabulous – over the top. Some of them are extended into nice suites that reach out over the driveway and are really very unique and creative.

You know, when we decided to do Courtyard, we did a little research. We asked our customers what they wanted and one million dollars of research funds, we found out they wanted a better room at a lower price. Courtyard still has the best rooms at the best price.

It was wonderful to celebrate this 25th anniversary with all those people who worked so hard to make the brand successful. Here’s to another 25 fantastic years!

I’m Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.”

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about the offer Marriott just announced today – 20% off the regular weekend rate at participating hotels through December 21st. Whether you plan on going far away or staying close to home, this deal helps make your trip that much more affordable.

Over 90% of our Courtyard hotels around the world are participating, so chances are good that you’ll find a Courtyard offering this discount near your destination. All you have to do to book is go to www.courtyard.com and enter the promo code F5X by September 22nd.

So, even though summer’s just about over, I hope you will take advantage of this offer and get away to one of our Courtyards for one more long weekend to relax and rejuvenate.

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

As you are probably aware, it was almost three years ago on August 29, 2005 that Hurricane Katrina’s ferocious attack destroyed major Gulf Coast cities and 150 miles of southern coastline. In one of my past roles with Marriott, I oversaw several of our hotels in the New Orleans market for six years so I came to know the city and our associates on a very personal level. Frankly, I have always been very fond of the Big Easy. I can clearly recall sitting in my west coast home watching the TV news coverage as the storm beat down on the coast and New Orleans. When the storm passed and the devastation unfolded, the Marriott team went into immediate action to help those in need and each other. Now that time has passed since that horrific day, the city is rebounding and is as energetic as ever.

If you have not been back or have never traveled to New Orleans, it is a “must-see” destination. I have always found the Big Easy to be the most European-like city in the U.S. Both the city and the natives who call it home have a genuine charm and appeal. It is a city of “nooks and crannies” and there is a remarkable hospitality culture that is found in every corner. I always find something new and interesting every time I travel there. Most recently, I was able to see the Contemporary Arts Center in the Warehouse District. It is an amazing space and has been home to literally thousands of events showcasing the visual arts.

There is no better time than summer to head to New Orleans for some fine Cajun cooking, a bit of wistful jazz and mornings spent lingering and people watching with a powdery sweet beignet in your hand at the one and only Café Dumonde.

Thanks for keeping Courtyard on the Go!

Brian

I had a terrific time there. It was wonderful to see old friends and celebrate a special occasion with them. I always enjoy going to Canada and got to see some of Toronto’s most exciting sights, like the CN Tower, and enjoyed the energetic city center and the dynamic Metro Square.

I also had the chance to stay in the Courtyard Toronto, which is the largest Courtyard hotel in world. This Courtyard is actually even bigger than many of our full service Marriott Hotels & Resorts properties. It has 575 guest rooms and suites on 17 floors! As many of you seasoned business travelers know, that’s huge for a Courtyard! This hotel’s lobby hasn’t been renovated just yet, but it does offer many of the same features as a completely renovated lobby like a 24-hour Market and Wi-Fi.

Have any of you ever been to this hotel or wonderful city or hotel? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian

I took a ten day vacation to France which included a few days in Paris, the “City of Light,” and then stayed in the country with a group of friends at a wonderful château in Bordeaux. We had a marvelous time enjoying the country and doing a fair share of wine tasting! As much as I enjoy the French countryside, I love Paris. It is an amazing city, steeped in culture, home to thousands of sidewalk cafes, and priceless architectural wonders like Notre Dame and the Louvre.

In Paris I stayed at our terrific Courtyard by Marriott Paris Neuilly. Neuilly is an upscale, gorgeous tree-lined neighborhood and the hotel sits in the heart of it all. The property recently underwent a full lobby renovation and it’s a real show stopper. It features a stylish international bar called 58 Bar and Lounge and a delightful restaurant called Brasserie Victor Hugo, named after the world-renowned French author. The wallpaper in the brasserie is Victor Hugo’s actual hand writing that was blown up to poster size and fills all sides of the room. I really enjoyed staying at this hotel, because it is tucked away in a residential part of the city, still close enough to the sites, but far enough away that you get a real sense of everyday life for your typical Parisian.

I’ll be traveling a little more throughout the summer and am looking forward to sharing my experiences from those trips with you as well. Until then, I’d love to hear from you about any summer trips you have planned for the summer or that you may have already taken – especially if they were in a Courtyard!

Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.

Brian