A new property slated to open in Chennai next month will signal the entry of Courtyard, the business-class brand of Marriott International Hotel, into India.

The hospitality major is operating four brands spanning its super luxury JW Marriott, Resorts, Convention Centre and Executive Apartments in the country. With the 238-room Courtyard and two more offerings to India, Marriott would be controlling close to 2,000 rooms offering a hotel brand to suit the needs of all types of travellers.

The 308-room Viceroy in Hyderabad is being relaunched as Marriott Hyderabad early January. While its luxury brand JW Marriott Hotel Bangalore, a- 250-room property is scheduled to open in late 2007 under a management agreement with Gstaad Hotels Pvt. Ltd.

"Marriott cross sells by building and positioning hotels so that they are targeted at different market segments," said Ms Sheema Vohra, Director India and Subcontinent, Global Sales Organisation. Together with all its brands in Mumbai, Delhi and Goa, Marriott International currently had a room strength of 1,184, which included the 79-room Lake Side Challet Marriott Executive Apartments.

John Toomey, Director of Marketing-India, Marriott International Inc, said, "When the JW Marriott opens in Bangalore, as well as the expected opening of other competitor hotels the rates and /or the economy might be in a different place."

Bangalore, where hotel tariff is the highest in the last two years, currently had a total of 1,300 rooms in the luxury category. A few international brands, including Hilton have announced the opening of a few properties in the next two years.

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