Renovating Riyadh

I remember travelling across the world to the desert sands of Saudi Arabia in 1979. We were starting to open hotels all over the world. With its rich culture and strong heritage, Saudi was the best place to plant our first flag in the Middle East. The Riyadh Marriott Hotel...

The Ritz-Carlton Kicks-Off Right

The recent Super Bowl game had me thinking about the importance of kick-offs. In football, kick-offs help set the tone for each team’s possession. They can either give a team great advantage or put a team behind before they even start a play. Before the grand opening day of every...

Tasting Success With Roy Rogers

Listen to blog Each year Pete and Kathy Hubschmitt send me a beautiful calendar for the next year. It features wonderful photos of birds and animals that Pete has personally taken. He has spent his career in our hotels, retiring as an area vice president several years ago. I think...

One of My Proudest Business Accomplishments – Courtyard

In front of first Courtyard in 1983 and a recent visit to today's Courtyard GoBoard One of our company's proudest accomplishments is Courtyard by Marriott. The birth of Courtyard in 1983, thirty years ago, is a perfect example of how keeping your eyes and ears open to the marketplace can...

"Topping Off" In My Home Town of Washington, DC

I want to share my "topping off" speech videotaped at the Marriott Marquis Washington DC on September 25. Hot Shoppes A&W Root Beer stand #2 opened on 9th Street in 1927. Marriott Marquis Washington DC opens on 9th Street in 2014. The Gayety Theater closed in 1950. It was one...

A Tech Wall, a Luggage Drop and a Smile

Listen to Blog Every business is in a race to attract the next generation to its products. It’s a full-out sprint in the hotel industry, and Marriott’s speed to market has an old hotel guy like myself impressed, out of breath, and not understanding everything that’s going on like I...

Our Marriage to Gaylord & My Best Man Shrek

If you’re going to stay on top of your game, you’ve got to keep growing, but you must grow responsibly. In our industry, we either grow by opening new hotels or attract existing properties. Our development team is always analyzing potential partnerships. A few years ago, we joined forces with...

Raising a Family of Brands

One of our Middle Kids Turns 25 - Fairfield Inn & Suites Just imagine having a family of 18 kids. Well, at Marriott International, that’s the number of brands we have. Each has its own personality, its own voice, its own friends that we call customers. As we celebrate the...

The Buzz Around Europe's Green Efforts

I recently returned from a cruise through Europe. As always, I had a tough time separating work and leisure. I can’t come into a port or a city without resisting the impulse to stop by some of our hotels and visit some competitors. What struck me on this trip is...

Don't Outkick Your Coverage

The Challenge of Growing Globally - Recruiting Great Talent In a recent blog, I indicated that in the next two years we would be opening one hotel per month in China. This, of course, represents a huge challenge to hire and retain some 40,000 new associates. We are working closely...