William F. Burruss Jr. and Daniel D. Hanley Form New Company
Distinguished Hotels & Residences International
ROCKVILLE, MD, December 10, 2007. Bill Burruss and Danny Hanley have joined forces to launch Distinguished Hotels & Residences International (DHRI) with the purpose to develop, manage and market independently owned luxury, upscale, highly unique resorts, private residences, and hotels around the world.
Bill Burruss, Managing Partner and President of DHRI is well known to the hospitality industry for the US and European success of Grand Heritage Hotels which he founded in 1989 and sold in 1997. Grand Heritage Hotels owned and managed such hotels as the Brazilian Court in Palm Beach, Florida, the Providence Biltmore in Providence, Rhode Island, and the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, California. He also founded Magna Hospitality Group, L.C. which currently has three hotels under construction in Manhattan and operates an additional sixteen hotels throughout the United States.
Burruss Investments, owner of the name Distinguished Hotels which is also registered worldwide, had licensed the name to a European group out of the UK. "When the UK company discontinued their operations, I thought the concept was too great to let it go, and decided to take it back," explains Bill Burruss. "Danny (Hanley), President of Hanley Development, brings with him extensive high end building development experience and a forward-looking vision that I know will help Distinguished Hotels become what I had always envisioned it to be," continues Mr. Burruss.
Distinguished Hotels & Residences International will cater to the discerning guest seeking exceptional first class service and a wide range of the most upscale modern amenities available in today's market. The Distinguished portfolio collection will include such properties as stately country homes from the English countryside, private Caribbean island estates, European castles, and internationally renowned four season mountain resorts.
Properties selected to be part of the Distinguished brand will be highly unique, authentic in their design and architecture to reflect their local and regional surroundings, offer superior culinary experiences, well appointed spa and wellness services, and in luxuriating settings that will inspire the senses.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
