JW Marriott, Jr, chair and chief executive of Marriott International, paid a rare visit to London on 13 March to officially open the 167-room London Marriott Hotel Park Lane, a £90m development in London's West End.

On opening the hotel, he said: We've wanted to open an hotel on Park Lane for years and had our eyes on this site for some time, so we are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Marylebone Warwick Balfour as developers on this project. He added that the hotel expected to welcome its 10,000th guest in the next week or so.

Facilities available at the hotel, designed by the Renton Howard Wood Levin Partnership, include the 140 Park Lane Restaurant and Bar which provides 76 covers and whose focal point is its open plan kitchen, the Club at Park Lane which features a 12.5m swimming pool, fitness centre and steamroom - a business centre and a private members' club.

Speaking of current business conditions, Marriott said the company was not underestimating the seriousness of the challenges that faces it but added: There will always be a market for London and quality. It is a sign of confidence in the UK market, and in London in particular, that our lodging portfolio continues to grow here.

Looking ahead, he said the 216-room London Marriott Hotel Kensington and 49 fractional ownership residences at 47 Park Street are scheduled to open later this year and 2004 will see the opening of the 300-room London Marriott Hotel West India Quay and the 47-room West India Quay Marriott Executive Apartments.

In Europe this year the group will see the opening of the 117-room renaissance Bochum Hotel and the 106-room Courtyard by Marriott, both in Germany, the 225-room Armenia Marriott Hotel in Yerevan, the 225-room Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw International Airport in Poland and the 120-room Tbilisi Courtyard by Marriott in the Republic of Georgia.

For 2004, openings are scheduled for the 571-room Rome Marriott Aurelia Hotel and the 185-room Courtyard by Marriott Rome Airport, both in Italy, the 379-room Berlin Marriott Hotel and 301-room The Ritz Carlton Hotel Berlin, both in Germany, and the 190-room Courtyard by Marriott Brussels in Belgium.

Also opening over the next two years are two 168-villa vacation ownership resorts in Spain - the Marriott Club la Sella in Denia and the Marriott's Playa Andaluza in Estepona - and the 275-villa Marriott's Village d'Ile de France which is currently under development near Euro-Disney.

Marriott International operates in 67 countries and runs or franchises over 2,500 hotels and resorts. Details: www.marriotthotels.com/