Crystal City Marriott unveils new look and feel

The Crystal City Marriott, a 343-room hotel, officially unveiled its completed seven million dollar redesign, an investment by the hotel’s owners, Vornado Realty Trust and manager, Marriott International, making it a new destination for meetings, business and leisure travel to the Washington, DC area. he most remarkable of the hotel’s new amenities is the new, reinvented Marriott Hotels & Resorts Greatroom. The new space re-concept includes seating with LCD televisions throughout, semi-private seating nooks for working/socializing, social communal tables, some featuring state-of-the-art Apple Mac desktop computers and the Bell20 restaurant and bar.  The Greatroom easily transitions from day to night while creating a sophisticated yet relaxing ambiance that fosters relaxation, work, and informal meetings and social gatherings.  The Greatroom’s centerpiece is Bell20’s bar which offers a refreshing cocktail menu, over 30 bottled beers, wines by the glass and a number of hand-crafted local brews from Port City Brewing Company in Alexandria, Va. Cauhaus Design, an architectural design firm in Frederick, Md., replaced the dark old world style lobby with a new look that blends nature’s elements with modern technology.  Cauhaus Design used visually stimulating details such as textured walls, warm earth tones, marble floors, leather chairs, and natural materials including stone, reclaimed wood communal tables and planks on the walls. Other recycled materials such as natural tile accents, recycled 55 gallon drums, and hammered metals are used as artwork throughout the transformed space. “Our guests are thrilled with the renovation,” says Scott McClinton, general manager of the Crystal City Marriott.  “We know our guests want style and sophistication without sacrificing comfort and we designed this Greatroom to meet the needs of today’s traveler whether they are working, playing or doing a little of both.” The renovation represents the new standard for Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Inc.’s signature brand, with more than 500 hotels in 60 countries.  It offers all the amenities and services guests need for a successful trip:  warm, genuine service; stylish yet functional guest rooms; lobbies that facilitate connections between people and places; a restaurant serving cuisine prepared simply, from the freshest ingredients; meeting and event spaces with services that are gold standard; as well as expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. The Crystal City Marriott’s enhancement project includes: • Bell20, An American Tavern:  Bell20 offers straight forward comfort food and pub classics. The menu offers daily soups, hearty burgers, sandwich standards, salads, and a variety of entrées. • Meeting and event spaces:  The hotel has over 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a total of 11 meeting rooms including the 3,450 square-foot Potomac ballroom, and two new 504 square-foot breakout rooms, all with a T1 line for wireless Internet access. • Fitness Center:  Built for the military and athletic guest in mind, the hotel’s 1,400 square-foot fitness center features state of the art PRECOR® weight training and cardio equipment overlooking the Crystal City plaza on 20th Street. • Concierge Lounge:  Located on the 2nd floor, the new 1,200 square-foot concierge lounge features free Wi-Fi and semi-private seating areas - and serves continental breakfast and cocktail service daily (Monday –Friday). The Crystal City Marriott is situated at 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington, Va., just off the Crystal City Metro on the blue and yellow lines. With 333 guest rooms and 10 suites, less than one mile from Reagan National Airport, the Crystal City Marriott is ideal for business, weekend getaways, family and leisure travel.