It will be located in the banking district, next to the Hotel Panama Marriott. Both hotels will be connected to allow the guests to move from a hotel to the other with freedom. Fuller describes the Renaissance client as a vibrant, dynamic, adventurous person, who is looking for something more contemporary and more closely tied to the local scene. However, the Marriott client is more traditional and wishes to feel at home. Both types of guests will be able to be affiliated with the Marriott frequent traveler program Rewards, which have 30 million members world wide.

“The economic panorama of Panama is strong and the hotel industry is in constant growth”, stresses the president of Marriott. He emphasized that this is his second visit to the country and that in the five years that passed from that first time, important changes have occurred. The construction of this project will generate something more than 500 jobs and the same amount in its operation stages. The Renaissance trade mark Hotel & Resort is present in Mexico, the United States, Brazil, Aruba, Austria, Belgium, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Japan and Russia, among others.

Facilities

Lavish beds, towels and bath amenities, contemporary furniture, flat screen TV’s, safety-deposit boxes and mini bars are some of the comforts of the Renaissance. It will be distinguished by its unique environment, with a restaurant that will offer different options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

There is also an extensive lobby bar that is complemented by an open lounge, which allows the use of the spaces with day and night environments. Thinking about the recreation of their guests there will be an 8,000 square feet spa including a modern gymnasium and an outdoor swimming pool with terrace. The hotel will also have a gift shop and a business center. For social events and conventions, there will be a 6,092 square foot hall, made up of the Great Hall 4,306 square feet and divisible in three sections of 1,292 feet each.

Palette of options

Marriott also plans to expand its existing properties, as well as constructing two additional hotels, which total five with 1,200 rooms. With this, they hope to strengthen the activities of hotel and residential tourism in the country. The 94 new rooms of the Hotel Panama Marriott will cost US$10 million, which will increase its capacity to 376. Additionally, the Courtyard Hotel by Marriott Panama will expand from 120 to 248 rooms and in 2010, the new hotel of the same trade mark near the Los Pueblos shopping Center will be inaugurated with 150 rooms. For extended-stay travelers the Residence Inn Panama hotel is planned to be in service in 2010 with 100 rooms. They are also studying the possibility of establishing a Residential near the Canal.

About Marriott

Marriott Inc. International is a company with more than 3,000 hotels world wide. “We are thinking of constructing 140 hotels in the next 4 years”, asserts Fuller. It is hoped to reach by 2012, the 400 international hotels and 4,000 worldwide. “This is a dynamic company, in constant change and growth of its products”, he said. At the present time, Marriot Inc. International has 50 hotels in 20 countries in the region, which represent a supply of 12,596 rooms.

The quality and professionalism of their personnel, the labor stability of the company, constant training of the personnel, the guests and the 19 trade marks which the company has in the United States and 9 international ones are the key to their success, identified by Fuller, of this hotel empire. “We began in 1982 with our founder and developed a culture of values with which we worked”, indicated Fuller.

He adds that in the region and outside the United States they have 72 thousand workers. “We focus on quality and we think that we have the best product and the best brands available”, emphasized the president of Marriott. He considers that “people are our greatest strength”.

		Some of the trade marks of Marriott International, Inc. Marriott Hotels & Resorts JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts Ritz Carlton Renaissance Hotels & Resorts Marriott Executive Apartments Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Inn by Marriott Residence Inn by Marriott Marriott Conference Centers TownePlace Suites by Marriott SpringHill Suites by Marriott Marriott Vacation International Club

Sherly Díaz / The Panama Post sherly.diaz@rimolamedios.com