The FINANCIAL -- Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) has opened a 333-room Marriott hotel in Ningbo, China, under an agreement reached with Haicheng Investment Development Co., Ltd.

The general manager of the hotel is Rodney Wan. Paula Li is the director of sales and marketing. The hotel is offering a special opening rate of CNY 698 ($100 USD) inclusive of breakfast.

The property is located in the heart of the central business district of Ningbo, a beautiful seaport city, within a mixed-used project containing a 38-story building that houses the hotel and office space.  The hotel faces the southern tip of Jiangbei across the Yuyao River, which is now home to a newly-redeveloped historic neighborhood housing trendy restaurants and entertainment spots. With the recent Hangzhou Bay Bridge opening, it is now only 2.5 hour drive from Ningbo to Shanghai.

Ningbo ranks 11th in GDP among all cities in China. Apart from shipping, Ningbo’s economy is driven by small-scale engineering, garments, sportswear, food processing and toy factories.  Major companies that have invested in the city’s industrial zones include Concord Oil, Exxon, Dow Chemical, Shell, China Tai, Itochu, Mitsubishi Chemical, Formosa Plastics, Nishin Steel and BP.

“Ningbo’s vibrant investment climate and considerable trade volume provides an excellent source of business for the hotel, and we fully expect this property to be a welcome addition to the business and tourism infrastructure of this growing city,” said Geoff Garside, executive vice president for Marriott’s Asia-Pacific region.

For dining and entertainment, the Ningbo Marriott Hotel boasts an inviting lobby lounge and three restaurants: River Café, offering simple yet elegant cuisine with panoramic views of the river; Emerald Sea Chinese Restaurant, serving over 60 different seafood specialties from the Guangzhou and Shanghai regions, and Edo-gin Sushi Restaurant serving traditional Japanese sushi and sashimi as well as a large selection of hot and cold sakes.

Recreational amenities include a fitness center and an indoor swimming pool.  In addition, the hotel proudly will soon open the newest addition to Marriott’s highly acclaimed Quan Spa portfolio.  Additional amenities include a gift shop, business center, lobby concierge desk and an executive level lounge.

For conferences and social events, the Ningbo Marriott Hotel has 1,188 square meters of flexible space. Included are a 720-square-meter ballroom that is divisible into eight sections and six additional meeting rooms.

The Ningbo Marriott Hotel, along with over 2,500 Marriott-affiliated hotels worldwide, participates in Marriott Rewards, the guest reward program that allows members to earn their choice of points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay.

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