New Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Moves In

New Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Moves In

Hotel Adds Unique Concept to City's Landscape

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The new Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott scheduled to open this Friday, September 1st, gives travelers to Austin the option of staying in the heart of one of the country's hippest and trendiest destination cities and just steps away from many of the music venues that transform it into the "Live Music Capital of the World."

The distinctive 449-room project sits adjacent to the Austin Convention Center, recognized as one of the most technologically advanced meeting facilities in the country. One block north is Sixth Street with more than 80 restaurants and nightclubs and a world-famous party atmosphere. Two blocks to the West is the Music and Cultural District, another 10-block area featuring dozens more dining and entertainment options.

Opening in the heart of downtown and just in time for both the University of Texas football season and the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the hotel offers a new lodging choice to some 17 million travelers who visit Austin annually. Spending from these visitors generates an estimated $2.45 billion economic impact for the city coffers.

Fall tends to be one of Austin's busiest times of the year. Football season, particularly this year with the Texas Longhorns coming off a national championship, promises seven weekends of home football games, when about 80,000 fans -- all bleeding burnt orange and flashing the ubiquitous "hook 'em" hand sign -- converge on the town. Each home game produces an estimated $17 million economic impact. Another 100,000 people gather in Zilker Park, September 15-17, for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, named as the top outdoor music event in the country last year.

"This unique, one-of-a-kind property has piqued the interest of both the business and leisure traveler. The community has embraced it and the response has been overwhelming," said Alison Berg, Director of Sales.

The hotel's striking architecture blends naturally into Austin's urban landscape to reflect the sandstone and terra cotta tones most often associated with the region's distinctive terrain. Positioned as the gateway to the Texas Hill Country, the city sits bounded on all sides by rolling hills and an extensive network of lakes and other waterways.

Just as the unique amenities and boutique ambiance of the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown Austin appeals to leisure and business travelers alike, Austin also appeals to a broad base of fans. While politics may shape the character of the capital city of Texas, the music that sounds from every corner bestows it with heart and soul. Nearly 200 live music venues feature everything from country, rock and roll, blues and jazz to hip- hop, Tejano, punk and any kind of alternative sound imaginable. From the airport to grocery stores, and garden centers to city hall plaza, music plays 365 days a year.

Taking advantage of the local fascination with music and sports, the new 4,400-square-foot Champions Restaurant and Sports Bar features an extensive menu of all-American fare with a high-energy sports environment complete with two large screen projector televisions and 25 plasma screens for viewing sports events as diverse as college football, cycling and professional golf and tennis -- all with passionate followings around Austin. The hotel is proud to feature an outdoor Ticker Tape, unique to Austin, that wraps around the restaurant showcasing scores, specials, daily events and more. Al fresco dining is also available outside with cooling misters to beat the Texas heat.

Austin hosts more than 50 citywide conventions each year, with one of the largest being the 10-day South by Southwest Music, Film & Interactive Conference and Festival each March. What started out 20 years ago as a small affair to attract attention to the city's eclectic music scene has since grown into one of the industry's major worldwide events. Nearly 30,000 attendees register for this conference and thousands more come just to hear bands and musicians playing throughout the city.

The new hotel's proximity to the Austin Convention Center and prime downtown location position it favorably for the meetings market. With 6,600 square feet of shared meeting space that encompasses seven meeting rooms and a boardroom, the two properties can accommodate meetings and groups up to 275 people.

With its prime location in the heart of Austin, Texas, The Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Downtown/Convention Center is proud to offer guests a unique experience with distinctive comforts. For advance details or group sales information, contact the pre-opening office by calling (512) 236-8008 or visit http://marriott.com/AUSCD or http://marriott.com/AUSRD .

Source: White Lodging Services

CONTACT: Pam Blanton of Blanton Public Relations, +1-512-469-0702,
pam@blantonpr.com , for White Lodging Services

Web site: http://www.whitelodging.com/
http://marriott.com/AUSCD
http://marriott.com/AUSRD

-------
Profile: intent