Marriott to Reopen a Majority
Of Its Hotels in New Orleans

In another sign of New Orleans's continuing recovery, Marriott International Inc. says it will reopen 12 hotels there to the public beginning Nov. 1.

The news could bolster the notion that the city is rebounding faster than predicted -- especially for the crucial convention and meeting business that drove New Orleans's tourist industry before Hurricane Katrina struck. It remains murky when the average tourist will return to the Big Easy, though Mardi Gras in late February is a likely target.

"This is a building process," says John Wolf, spokesman for Marriott, Bethesda, Md. "As you demonstrate the city is returning to normal, as businesses including hotels are opening up, it generates more business for the city."

In all, 15 Marriott-branded properties in Louisiana were affected by Katrina, and many have been housing relief-agency workers and government officials in the weeks following the storm.

The hotels include the flagship JW Marriott on Canal Street, the Marriott New Orleans and the Marriott at the convention center. The lodging giant will also reopen hotels under the Courtyard, Renaissance, Residence Inn, SpringHill and TownePlace Suites brands.

But life in New Orleans remains far from normal, and Marriott officials say three hotels in the city remain closed -- including the luxury Ritz-Carlton property that received major water damage. A Ritz-Carlton spokeswoman said that property will likely open sometime next year.

For now, guests can expect basic restaurant and high-speed Internet services, though housekeeping services and other amenities will be limited, Marriott says.

Many of Marriott's rivals have been housing relief and reconstruction workers for more than a month. The heavily damaged Hyatt Regency New Orleans remains closed until January 2007, though it remains home to much of the city's government. The Hilton New Orleans Airport and the Embassy Suites and Doubletree properties downtown plan to reopen to guests by the first week of November.

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