In 2014, downtown Washington, D.C., will wel- come a new player to the convention scene with the opening of the Washington Mar- riott Marquis. The $520-million hotel’s 1,175 guest rooms and 100,000-plus square feet of meeting space will not only give meeting planners a flexible new venue in D.C.’s city center, but also provide a new convention center headquarters with a direct connection to the adjacent Walter E. Washington Conven- tion Center. One of only five Marriott Marquis hotels
in the country, the new property will offer an abundance of flexible meeting space, includ- ing the 30,000-square-foot Marquis Ballroom with 22-foot ceilings and two 10,000-square- foot ballrooms with 20-foot ceilings. Planners will also have access to more than 55 meeting
rooms and 26 salons spread throughout the ballroom space. A 2,500-square-foot roof- top terrace with views of downtown and an 18,800-square-foot indoor event terrace will accommodate special events of all shapes and sizes. The Washington Marriott Marquis is
aiming for LEED Silver certification, which will make it one of the largest U.S. hotels to achieve the designation. Initiatives to reduce energy, waste, and CO2 emissions as well as efforts to improve indoor air quality are just a few of the ways the property will keep sus- tainability at the forefront of its goals. After meetings wrap up, guests can take
advantage of the hotel’s many on-site ameni- ties, including an 8,000-square-foot fitness center, five restaurants and lounges, and
numerous retail shops. The lively Penn Quar- ter district and stops for the Metro Green and Yellow lines are only steps away, but guests may want to stay put since the hotel, with its light-filled grand atrium lobby, is set to become D.C.’s newest social hub. Attendees with leisure time to spare will love that Mount Vernon Square, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and a handful of historic parks are all just a short walk away.
For more information:Washington Marriott Marquis Pre-Opening Sales Ofice — 999 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; (202) 962-4882; dcmarquismeetings.com
Big spaces The new Washington Marriott Marquis’ meeting space includes the 30,000-square-foot Marquis Ballroom with 22-foot ceilings, as well as the Liberty and Independence Ballrooms, both offering more than 10,000 square feet and 20-foot ceilings.