David Marriott

On this day 97 years ago, my grandparents opened a nine-seat A&W root beer franchise in Washington, D.C. 
 
J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott poured their hopes and dreams into the business, one mug of cold root beer at a time. They grew the business into The Hot Shoppes restaurant chain and then opened our first hotel in 1957. Now here we are, the Marriott International of today — nearly 8,900 hotels in 141 countries and territories. 
 
They would be proud to know that Marriott associates around the world are carrying on the tradition of taking good care of guests, each other, and their communities.
 
Congratulations to everyone in our extended Marriott family and thank you for being part of our story. 
 
#MarriottInternational

Happy Birthday to my Grandpa. 
 
Each year on September 17 I look back fondly on memories of my grandfather, J. Willard Marriott, and his legacy. 
 
Most people knew him as the pioneering businessman whose name adorns hotels around the world, but I also remember Jeep rides at the Fairfield Farm in Virginia, hikes on the trails through the woods in New Hampshire and his love of horses.  
 
Grandpa grew up around horses on his family’s farm and enjoyed riding throughout his life. In this photo, he was nearly 80 years old. 
 
When I think about him and my father, while they both worked a lot, they made time for the most important things in life, like family and fun. We call it work-life balance today, but for my grandfather, it was a long ride on horseback.

#MarriottInternational #hotelhistory #hotelindustry #hospitality #family

While my dad did not do most of the cooking in our house when I was growing up, if we were having burgers, there was only one place you would find him – behind the grill. Over the years, he gained a lot of burger wisdom while working with and observing the best – our Hot Shoppes chefs who knew how to make a great Mighty Mo burger. In honor of Father’s Day, I want to share Bill Marriott’s tips for the perfect burger, or as I like to call them, Bill’s Burger No’s: 
 
Never: The back of the spatula should never touch the top of the burger (it pushes all the juices out of the patty). 
 
Once: You only flip a burger once (otherwise you end up overcooking it). 
 
Salt: Only add salt as the burger is cooking, never before (it dries out the meat). 
 
Happy Father’s Day to all the grill masters out there and, in particular, to my dad who has taught me so much about business, life, fatherhood, and, yes, burgers. If you have a tip for cooking the perfect burger – please share them in the comments.

#MarriottInternational #Hospitality #Family #Mentor #Chefs #FathersDay

Since moving our corporate headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Bethesda, Maryland, in 1955, Marriott International has been proud to call Montgomery County home. Today, we are one of the largest private sector employers in the county. Our size and scale give us a unique opportunity to be a force for good across global communities – including in our own backyard.

We are honored to receive the 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC). Through volunteerism, contributions, and in-kind donations, our company continues to support the places where we live and work by teaming up with nonprofit organizations and community groups to meet local needs.
 
#MarriottInternational #MontgomeryCounty #Serve360 #ServeOurWorld #MCCCBizAwards

Since I was a boy, I have had the honor of attending hotel openings with my dad, Bill Marriott, and even a few with my grandparents — I have to say, I love a hotel opening. 
 
The opening of the JW Marriott Hotel São Paulo is particularly special, as this is only the second JW Marriott hotel in Brazil, a brand named for my grandpa that has now grown to over 115 hotels in 37 countries around the world. I have every confidence this hotel will be a true brand builder for JW Marriott in Brazil. 
 
Openings are an energizing, inspiring start of a new journey for a hotel and its associates. It represents fresh opportunities – as my grandpa used to say – to “take good care of our associates so they take good care of our customers.” 
 
Thank you for including me in your celebration and congratulations, especially to General Manager Rosana Okamoto and the JW São Paulo team. 
 
I am excited about this hotel and the positive impact it will have on Marriott International, associates and the community — your journey is just beginning.  
 
#MarriottInternational #JWMarriott #SaoPaulo #hospitality #hotelier

We recently celebrated the grand opening of The Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at Howard University. 
 
The Center was established in 2021 by The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation with Howard University as a tribute to former Marriott International President and CEO Arne Sorenson. The mission of the Center is to create a pipeline of diverse leaders in the hospitality industry. After meeting the first cohort of students, I’m confident they’re off to a great start. 
 
I was incredibly proud to join Arne’s wife, Ruth, and members of my family for the ribbon cutting ceremony. A highlight of the celebration for me was also participating in a student roundtable with Howard University President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick where we talked about culture, leadership, and careers in hospitality. I’m grateful to Wayne for not only for being an incredible supporter of the Marriott-Sorenson Center, but for his friendship. 
 
Congratulations to the inaugural cohort of Marriott-Sorenson Center Scholars and Executive Director Ashli Johnson, M.S., CHT, CGSP. Together, we look forward to shared success as we build the future of hospitality.

#MarriottInternational #HBCU #Hospitality #Leadership #Diversity #DEI

On a recent trip to Indonesia I joined dozens of associates for a memorable sunrise jog, a hallmark program for the wellness brand and an empowering way to start the day at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali.
 
The energy continued at our Asia Pacific Excluding China (APEC) General Managers Conference, where Rajeev Menon and I led a conversation on growth, culture, and service excellence. These important elements in hospitality have led to a significant milestone for our APEC region – the opening of our 600th property, the Adelaide Marriott Hotel in South Australia.

We also marked other new beginnings, including a five-property development agreement to open hotels in key destinations stretching from Jakarta to Surabaya and Batam. These properties are part of robust plans to strengthen our presence in the country, where Marriott International currently has 77 properties across 22 brands. 
 
An especially meaningful part of my time in Indonesia was seeing how committed the team is to serving our world. I pitched in by helping to release turtles into their natural habitat and package food for community members. 

I enjoyed being with all our associates during my travels and thank you for your tremendous hospitality.

#MarriottInternational #Hospitality #Travel

Associates at Marriott International’s Customer Engagement Centers (CECs) deliver personalized care to guests across the globe and around the clock. Based out of 19 offices, from Omaha to Mexico City to Cork to Tokyo, these teams are equipped to provide support around the clock in 26 different languages. 
 
Over 70 global CEC leaders recently visited our corporate headquarters to connect with one another, share best practices, and align on strategic priorities. During their visit, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Frid Edmond, who hosted the group for the first time since becoming Senior Vice President, CECs, last year. We talked about the importance of CECs and their impact on the business, how Marriott’s core values are part of our competitive advantage, my grandmother’s role in shaping the company, and root beer floats – a classic company favorite we both love. 
 
When I led Global Sales, the CECs were part of the team and it was great to see colleagues I’ve known for years. Our CEC associates are focused on being good listeners and building trust – two areas that are critical in delivering great service to our guests.  
 
Thank you – Gracias – Merci – Xièxiè – to our CECs around the world for all you do! 
 
#MarriottInternational #CustomerEngagementCenters #Hospitality #PutPeopleFirst

I recently had the opportunity to spend time with new owners and franchisees from the U.S. and Canada as they took part in our Executive Orientation program, the first held in-person following a three-year hiatus, joining Liam Brown to meet the newest members of our Marriott community. 
 
They learned about our company’s history and culture — many are attracted to doing business with Marriott because of our strong foundation and shared values.
 
Developing and deepening relationships is at the heart of what we do — welcome to the extended Marriott family.
 
#MarriottInternational #Leadership #Executive #Hotelier

During my first-ever trip to the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia, I had the pleasure of joining associates in the kitchen at JW Marriott Parq Vancouver to help prepare a nutritious meal for those in need, while also connecting virtually with associates from Marriott hotels across the city. Since part of the meal was made using surplus vegetables, we talked about the importance of reducing food waste and the company’s other global sustainability programs. 
 
Donating surplus food is just one way our hotels can serve their communities. Since January, JW Marriott Parq Vancouver has donated 6,665 pounds of food to local non-profits which has created 5,554 meals – already surpassing the amount of food donated by the hotel in 2022. 
 
With our size and global scale, we have a responsibility and a unique opportunity to be a force for good – and I was impressed to see what Marriott associates in Vancouver and across Canada are doing to protect local environments and support the communities they call home.  
 
Special thanks to Don Cleary, Paul Cahill, Graeme Benn, and Jonathan Holliwell, for welcoming me to this stunning destination and for all the work you are doing in Canada to contribute to Marriott’s sustainability and social impact efforts. 
 
#Serve360 #FoodWasteReduction #Sustainability

Over the years Marriott International has welcomed many Penn State University graduates through our doors. I recently had the opportunity to swap roles and spend an action-packed day at the university. The students and faculty provided such a warm welcome on campus.
 
One highlight was being in the classroom at the Penn State Smeal College of Business to talk with a group of 150 students about how Marriott grew to be a global hospitality leader while remaining anchored by our people-first culture and core values. Thank you to Cassandra Ghinos for inviting me to speak with your class.
 
While on campus, Donna Quadri-Felitti, PhD, hosted me for a fireside chat with students from the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. We spoke about the dynamism of working in the hospitality industry and the broad variety of career opportunities at Marriott — I hope I recruited some future graduates. 
 
We visited The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Building on the University Park campus, where students are learning and preparing for vibrant careers in hospitality.
 
It was wonderful getting to know so many enthusiastic students, staff and professors at Penn State. We were also joined by a few of the loyal Penn State alumni who are now leaders at Marriott – the Nittany Lion pride runs strong!
 
#MarriottInternational #PennState #MBA #Hospitality

Fostering relationships is important at Marriott, and we regularly check in with customers to share our appreciation and get valuable feedback. We recently got together at The Exchange, Marriott International’s Corporate Partnership Conference. 
 
Joining Chief Global Officer for Global Operations Erika Alexander for a fireside chat was especially fun since we have worked together for decades. We took a trip down memory lane to when I first attended the conference as a member of the sales team. While some things haven’t changed – a focus on providing high-quality guest experiences – we discussed how our customers’ feedback consistently helps inform enhancements, new offerings, and innovation.  
 
We had an engaged audience and it was heartwarming to see their reaction when I shared a recent photo from when my dad called customers to thank them for joining us in supporting recovery efforts following the Maui fires. 
 
Thank you to all our customers for your business and partnership. We look forward to continuing to welcome you, wherever your next journey takes you.  
 
#MarriottInternational #Hospitality #Meetings #Events #HotelIndustry

I’m recently back from Asia where I joined the celebration of an exciting milestone for our first managed hotel in Thailand, the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok. The property marked a quarter century of hospitality excellence, and it was an honor to be in the company of the associates behind the hotel’s success.   
 
It was particularly special to walk the same halls and shake hands with the hotel team like my father, Bill Marriott, did when the property first opened in 1997. It brings me great joy to see it now as one of the city’s leading luxury hotels.  
 
Congratulations to Peter Caprez, General Manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok and Guidance Team Leader of Marriott's 12 Asian Business Councils, and his team for setting the benchmark in luxury hospitality. Cheers to the next 25 years!
 
#MarriottInternational #hotels #culture #Bangkok #hospitality

I recently had the opportunity to meet associates from 14 incredible hotels while on a market tour of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The coastal city is known as the “Venice of America” and continues to grow as a vibrant destination for Marriott Bonvoy guests.  
 
Alongside Jim Connelly and Mark Gaber, it was great to experience the enthusiasm and passion for hospitality from the owners and associates we met throughout the visit. The Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, stood out as a phenomenal representation of the Tribute Portfolio brand. I was also impressed by the new Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport and AC Hotel Fort Lauderdale Airport – a dual-branded property emerging as an up-and-coming location for travelers staying in the Dania Beach community. 
 
The highlight of our time in Ft. Lauderdale was joining my parents for a visit and group photos with local associates—an annual tradition when my parents are in town. 
 
One of my dad’s rules for success is “see and be seen” – advice he shared with me early in my career that has stuck with me and continues to motivate me in my Chairman role. Thanks to all our hotel owners and associates in Fort Lauderdale for a great visit! 
 
#MarriottInternational #FortLauderdale #Hospitality #PeopleFirst