Newport Marriott Embarks on $35 million Renovation

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. December 22, 2014

December 22, 2014 - Newport, RI has long been known as a high society playground, the summer home to generations of social elite, from Vanderbilts to Kennedys, not to mention the sailing capital of the world. Today, Newport is also gaining notoriety for its more accessible pleasures. Great chefs cook in postage stamp kitchens at neighborhood eateries. Brilliant artists paint in open studios up creaky wooden stairs. Stellar musicians play acoustic sets in tiny bars down cobbled alleys. This is the all-engaging, sensory spirit that the Newport Marriott hotel team, owners and architects hope to capture with an unprecedented $35M renovation, now underway.

The massive redesign represents the highest commitment to excellence by the hotel's ownership group, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, LLC, and is the hotel's top priority. A spring 2015 completion date is important to local tourism leaders, because the around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race sailing event will put Newport in the global, multi-media spotlight this May.

“We are utterly transforming the Newport Marriott. The customer feedback to the renderings has been phenomenal,” said General Manager Walter Andrews. Florida-based Edge of Architecture EoA, Inc.| Malcolm Berg developed the stunning architecture and design plans. “Landscape, Art and Architecture create dialogues that are visual, tactile, sensorial and emotional,” Berg said. “Every design has a story. This one is about the elemental experience people have with this fun, dynamic and primal coastal setting.”

Berg continued, “certain places and experiences create memories that live on deep inside us: the sound of dry leaves being raked; the cold softness of moss on a rock; the bracing smell of pine sap. Newport Harbor offers a feast of these sensations: its constant breezes, shimmering reflections, shipshape lines and sails. Our design celebrates Newport's irrepressible spirit, and encourages guests to open their senses to the Newport Marriott in fresh and unexpected ways.”

A new restaurant and two bars will offer panoramic Harbor vistas, providing a perfect perch for enjoying the Newport scene. A dock-to-table local seafood menu and expansive windows will grace the 98-seat restaurant. Tapas-style small plates will be available at two bars: a 58-seat indoor bar overlooking the water, and a 57-seat outdoor bar supplying spectacular views. The hotel's great room will be a lively and inviting place for guests to work, socialize and relax. The entryway chandelier will feature dozens of crystal decanters, some sand-tumbled, as sea glass would be. The registration desk will emulate an abstracted racing boat's hull. A concentric rope garden will create an intimate seating area, and water features will lend sound and light. Meanwhile, “The Plank” bar will include a sculptural reference to those prohibition-era Rhode Islanders who went to extreme lengths to enjoy their libations!

Upstairs, 312 guestrooms and eight suites will offer serene, personal spaces. A backlit sail will stretch the entire length of the headboard wall. Furnishings will be precisely crafted, with dovetail joinery and the best metals and leather finishes, evoking the environs of a fine yacht. Hotel renovations will also encompass all of the 2nd floor mid-sized meeting rooms. The hotel provides 24,800 square feet of flexible meeting space in total, including: 16 meeting rooms and the 7,600 square-foot Grand Ballroom. As always, technological support will include wired and wireless high-speed internet access, a full complement of audio visual equipment, a private video conferencing unit, and the Marriott Hotels “Red Coat Direct” meeting services app.

The 4,500-square-foot Spa at Newport Marriott, which opened in 2009, is the largest in Newport. It offers eight treatment rooms, a private relaxation lounge, as well as a hair and nail salon. Also available is a 10,000 square foot health club, with indoor saline swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool, racquetball courts, state-of-the-art fitness room and seasonal roof deck.

With its breathtaking seaside location, vibrant dining, entertainment and shopping options, Gilded Age mansions, and charming cobbled streets, Newport, Rhode Island is an ideal leisure travel and group meeting destination. The Newport Marriott, located at 25 America's Cup Avenue, is in the heart of the downtown district, and just five minutes from historic estates, shops, restaurants and nightlife, beaches, golf courses, and much more.

To book your meeting in Newport, visit NewportMeetings.com or call 401.849.1000. For general information, please call (401) 849-1000 or visit www.newportmarriott.com.