Marriott to Change 628,000 Beds Worldwide in 2005

		The Marriott International corporate logo includes both the wordmark and symbol. The PMS color is 7427 C. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA



		Today, Marriott International introduced a more luxurious sleep experience at 2,400 hotels across eight brands worldwide, to be installed this year. The new bedding features plusher mattresses, softer sheets, more pillows, and duvets or triple sheeting to replace the traditional hotel bedspread. The new bedding becomes the brand standard at Marriott Hotels & Resorts (shown above), JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

		Today, Marriott International introduced a more luxurious sleep experience at 2,400 hotels across eight brands worldwide, to be installed this year. The new bedding features plusher mattresses, softer sheets, more pillows, and duvets or triple sheeting to replace the traditional hotel bedspread. The new bedding becomes the brand standard at TownePlace Suites (shown above), Marriott Hotels and Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

		Today, Marriott International introduced a more luxurious sleep experience at 2,400 hotels across eight brands worldwide, to be installed this year. The new bedding features plusher mattresses, softer sheets, more pillows, and duvets or triple sheeting to replace the traditional hotel bedspread. The new bedding becomes the brand standard at Courtyard (shown above), Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

		Today, Marriott International introduced a more luxurious sleep experience at 2,400 hotels across eight brands worldwide, to be installed this year. The new bedding features plusher mattresses, softer sheets, more pillows, and duvets or triple sheeting to replace the traditional hotel bedspread. The new bedding becomes the brand standard at Fairfield Inns (shown above), Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

Marriott is Creating More Luxurious Bedding With Plusher Mattresses, Softer Sheets, More Pillows, and a New, Fresh, White Look WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) today announced that by year-end, 628,000 beds at approximately 2,400 hotels worldwide, across eight brands, will have a new, more luxurious look and feel. The global bedding makeover will utilize over 30 million yards of fabric -- enough to stretch more than two-thirds of the way around the world -- creating softer sheets, plusher mattresses, stylish duvets, more pillows -- and a new fresh, white look. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030605/MARRIOTTLOGO ) (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004 NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-a NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-b NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-c NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-d NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-e NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050125/DCTU004-f ) J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International, said, "Together with our hotel owners and franchisees, we are launching an unprecedented bedding makeover, continuing our invitation to guests to experience the new look and feel of Marriott. This initiative draws on the finest designs and service traditions at our best hotels worldwide to position each of our brands as the most luxurious in their segment. And our new bedding is already getting rave reviews." The company said its owners and franchisees are investing nearly $190 million in the new bedding. And, to speed the makeover, Marriott is offering owners and franchisees a one-time incentive, to ensure that guests can enjoy the comfort and luxury of the new bedding by year-end. The company conducted extensive consumer research on the new bedding for all its brands. More than four out of five of the 1,000 guests surveyed preferred the new bedding and said they liked the stylish design and appearance, calling it fresh, inviting and comfortable. They also said the new bedding would increase their preference for a Marriott brand. The more luxurious bedding is the new brand standard for the JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites brands. As part of the makeover, the company is replacing traditional bedspreads with freshly laundered linens, making Marriott's new bedding the cleanest and freshest of any major hotel chain. JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts Full-service JW Marriott, Marriott and Renaissance hotels and resorts will replace the traditional bedspread with down comforters nestled inside sheeted duvets. The duvet covers will be freshly laundered for each new guest. The bedding will feature 300-thread-count, cotton-rich, white top and fitted bottom sheets, making them among the finest and softest sheets of any global hotel chain. The new JW Marriott, Marriott and Renaissance bedding will also offer thicker, more comfortable mattresses with the addition of a two- to four-inch mattress topper and more pillows. The stylized bedding will be accented with euroshams, a decorative bed scarf and an optional bolster. This spring, the new Marriott Hotels & Resorts bedding will be available for purchase. Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites The company's select-service and extended-stay brands will feature comforters snuggly fit between triple sheeting, including 200-thread-count, cotton-rich top and fitted bottom sheets that will be "mercerized," a process that elevates the softness of the linens. The bedspread will be replaced by triple sheeting, which is commonly found at luxury hotels and resorts, including a decorative top sheet with colorful trim. All linens will be laundered daily. Comforters will fit neatly between the new triple sheeting. The new bedding also features more pillows, enhancing its home-like appeal. Thicker mattresses will become standardized across these brands. Courtyard hotels outside North America will also feature elements of the upgraded full- service bedding in some markets. Marriott ExecuStay Marriott ExecuStay, the company's corporate and temporary housing brand, will offer the Elite Dreamer(TM) bedding package, offering featherbed comfort with a mattress topper wrapped in luxurious Tru Val(TM) sheets and a climate- customized blanket. On top is a deluxe goose down comforter with a cover and skirt designed exclusively for ExecuStay. Five pillows of two varieties, both Down Surround and fiber-filled, will also be offered. Marriott ExecuStay is the first corporate housing provider to offer deluxe bedding nationwide. Under Marriott's "Spirit To Serve Our Communities" program, participating hotels will have the opportunity to make charitable contributions of the replaced bed linens, including sheets, bedspreads, blankets and pillows. Marriott, on behalf of its owners and franchisees, is working through United Way of America and Gifts in Kind International to identify nonprofits serving local communities, as well as the tsunami-affected region of Southeast Asia. Beginning in February, nonprofit organizations interested in receiving a Marriott bedding donation can link to http://www.volunteersolutions.org/marriottdonations, courtesy of United Way of America's online tool called United eWay, to access linens from participating Marriott hotels as they become available throughout the year. Agencies may also register online with Gifts in Kind at http://www.giftsinkind.org. MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 64 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 128,000 employees. It is ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best places to work for by Fortune(R) magazine. In fiscal year 2003, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $9 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at http://www.marriott.com.