Marriott sees growth opportunities in Middle East for extended stay hotels

Marriott International will be opening a Residence Inn by Marriott hotel in Bahrain in early 2012, the company’s first in the region. The new Residence Inn Bahrain will mark the beginning of expansion plans for the brand throughout the region, with two others planned, in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and Algiers in 2014. 

“In the Middle East and Africa, we continue to see a steady increase in the need for long-term lodging for those on temporary assignment or relocation, and we believe that Residence Inn will have much success here,” said Ed Fuller, president and managing director of international lodging for Marriott International.

“Long stay guests have very different needs when they are on the road,” said Diane Mayer, vice president and global brand manager for Residence Inn. “I am excited to finally introduce Residence Inn, a Marriott power brand and a pioneer in the extended stay segment with its own unique service culture, to guests here in the Middle East.”

With its 78-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair, Bahrain, the Residence Inn brand will join Marriott’s other extended stay brand  – Marriott Executive Apartments – which has four properties in operation. The Residence Inn brand specializes in stays ranging from a few weeks to several months, providing hotel rooms that are studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom suites with kitchens along with traditional hotel services, at moderate pricing. The Marriott Executive Apartments brand targets executive expats staying an average of one year and provides the full apartment living experience and some hotel services, with upper tier pricing.

Residence Inn has a 36-year history serving extended stay guests in North America, and it was the first to recognize and create a product that satisfied this segment of travelers. Nearly a third of all global business travel nights today qualify as extended stay (5 nights or longer in the same hotel) which is the reason for the great increase in the brand’s popularity and demand both nationally and internationally. Featuring an apartment style layout with hotel services, Residence Inn allows guests to maintain balance and routine while traveling.

Under a long term management agreement with International Trading And Investment, the 78-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair, Bahrain will be located adjacent to the Marriott Executive Apartments in an attractive suburban neighborhood of Manama. Juffair is the site of Bahrain’s largest mosque, the huge domed Al Fateh Mosque, as well as the adjacent new National Library. The Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair will offer a mix of spacious and stylishly appointed studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. Designed for stays of five days or more, each suite will have a fully-equipped kitchen and separate living area, flat screen TV and state-of-the-art connectivity.  Rates will vary depending on length of stay, with lower rates for longer stays..

The next Residence Inn branded hotel to open in the Middle East will be an 83-unit hotel in the Saudi Arabian province of Jizan on the Red Sea in 2012. A special feature will be the Residence Inn lobby that offers zones of public/private space for guests to socialize or simply relax. The area will also include a lounge/coffee shop, a library and a small meeting room. A “grab and go” kiosk/market offering snacks, basic food items, newspapers, magazines and various sundries will be located adjacent to the front desk. 

The 147-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Algiers owned by Trust Real Estate SPA is expected to open in 2014.

Residence Inn by Marriott is an upper moderate extended stay brand that helps guests to thrive on long stays. Spacious suites offer the comforts of the modern home, with separate zones to relax, eat, sleep and work, including full kitchens. With more than 600 properties in North and Central America and the Caribbean, Residence Inn is Marriott’s third largest lodging brand with more than 150 hotels on the way. Residence Inn participates in the company’s award-winning Marriott Rewards program, which enables members to earn their choice of points toward free vacations or frequent flyer mileage in their preferred airline program for dollars spent at more than 3,100 Marriott hotels