Marriott International Chain Of Hotels Enters Zanzibar

Marriott International is in final talks with Pennyroyal Gibraltar for the management of Zanzibar Amber Resort in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The new luxury hotel whose development began this year will be among leading tourist facilities with a world-class golf course. The US$330 million Zanzibar Amber Resort will be one-of-a-kind in sub-Saharan Africa, developers Ritz Carlton said.

President for Marriott Middle East and Africa, the parent company of Ritz Carlton, Alex Kyriakidis, said the hotel will occupy the prime Indian Ocean coastline on the northeast of Zanzibar. The hotel design will combine modern architecture and a touch of Zanzibar style to bring together the unique feeling of Tanzanian hospitality.

Kyriakidis is visiting Zanzibar island to familiarize himself with the project and meet with some of the prominent stakeholders in the island’s tourism industry and the government of Zanzibar.

“This development will be a catalyst for boosting premium tourism to the island of Zanzibar and Tanzania in general,” he said.

Zanzibar Amber Resort, a mixed-use project will offer a retail souk, a tropical aqua park, a marina, an equestrian center, and international polo club, along with further hotels, Kyriakidis noted.

The expansive facility will also feature East Africa’s first signature golf course, he added.

Developers say they are working in close collaboration with local stakeholders, including the government and the Ministry of Environment, to master plan a self-sufficient and sustainably-designed community with energy plants, agriculture, aquaculture, and potentially an airfield in the later stages of the project.

“Currently, the luxury hotel brand Ritz Carlton has only one hotel in Africa located in Cairo, Egypt, and Zanzibar Amber Resort is proud to have the luxury brand in its portfolio,” Kyriakidis added.

“Having Ritz Carlton onboard the Amber portfolio will place Zanzibar on the prime tourist charts, which is part of our focus – to change the perception of Zanzibar from a backpacking tourist destination to high-end tropical paradise,” commented Saleh Said, the Director of Pennyroyal Gibraltar.

Marriott International, Inc. is an American multinational hotel company that manages a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities.

Located off the eastern coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar is a tropical island offering visitors a chance to relax on its pristine beaches or explore its history in ancient trading towns.

Referred to by the locals as “Unguja,” the island is the biggest in the Zanzibar archipelago. Zanzibar City, the capital of the region, consists of the historic Stone Town.

Considered to be the oldest building in Zanzibar City, the Old Fort that was built in the late 17th century to protect the natives from the Portuguese, serves as a venue for the Zanzibar International Film Festival, East Africa’s largest film, music and arts festival.

Nungwi Beach or Paje Beach are Zanzibar’s best places for scuba diving which is a popular activity in the area by its reefs off the island’s coast. Its trigger fish, eels, and even humpback dolphins are best seen in this part of the island.

The Williamsburg Lodge To Join Marriott International’s Autograph Collection Hotels

THE WILLIAMSBURG LODGE TO JOIN

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL’S AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION HOTELS

The Historic Colonial Williamsburg Property Joins the Distinctive Collection of Independent Properties in January 2017

Williamsburg, VA  – The Williamsburg Lodge, a four-star rated Forbes Travel Guide hotel and a member of the Historic Hotels of America collection, is thrilled to announce today that it has joined Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s distinctive portfolio of over 100 independent, one-of-a-kind hotels.

The vision behind Autograph Collection Hotels is to celebrate individuality and independence by creating an evolving ensemble of strikingly independent four and five star hotels. Each hotel is hand selected for its memorable guest experience, bold originality, rich character and uncommon details.

“We are thrilled to be joining Marriott International’s Autograph Collection Hotels portfolio,” said Florencio Ferrao, Colonial Williamsburg’s Vice President of Hospitality. “It’s a perfect fit that will allow the Williamsburg Lodge to refresh and retain its individual personality while offering more value to our guests through enhanced services and access to the worldwide Marriott Rewards network.”

The Colonial Williamsburg Company, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s for-profit subsidiary, will continue to own and operate the Williamsburg Lodge. By joining Autograph Collection Hotels, Colonial Williamsburg will benefit from its reservation distribution system, while guests who are enrolled in the award-winning Marriott Rewards® loyalty program are able to earn points during hotel stays at The Williamsburg Lodge. These points can be redeemed for free holidays, flights, hotel rooms and merchandise, including jewelry, home furnishings, fashion and more. 

Comprised of seven distinct buildings, the Williamsburg Lodge features include 323 attractively-appointed guestrooms with modern amenities and furnishings inspired by the collections of Colonial Williamsburg’s celebrated Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum; 45,000 square feet of meetings and banquet space including two large ballrooms, 28 meeting rooms and four outdoor function areas; two Southern-inspired food and beverage outlets, Sweet Tea & Barley and Traditions; and access to The Golden Horseshoe Golf Club’s award-winning three golf courses as well as The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg’s world-class services and facilities including a state-of-the-art fitness center, two outdoor pools and indoor lap pool.

Opened in 1939 to provide comfortable accommodations for travelers to the historic town, the Williamsburg Lodge is one of the first Colonial Williamsburg hotels constructed under the guidance of John D. Rockefeller Jr., the founder and first benefactor of the town’s restoration.  From the original blue stone floors to the cypress accents and reproduction folk art, in every cozy nook and spacious expanse, the Lodge tells the story of its Virginia setting and the history of the town Rockefeller restored.

Additional information is available online at www.colonialwilliamsburg.com, by calling 855-296-6627, on Facebook and @colonialwmsburg on Twitter and Instagram.

For further information on Autograph Collection Hotels, visit www.autographhotels.com.