Today the opening of the 220-room Miri Marriott Resort & Spa, under a management agreement with Majupun Sdn. Bhd. was announced. The former RIHGA Royal Hotel Miri underwent an extensive renovation of its guestrooms, food and beverage outlets and other public areas before being rebranded a Marriott resort. It is the sixth Marriott branded hotel in Malaysia.

The hotel is located on Brighton Beach, outside of Miri's central business district, surrounded by large gardens. Most guestrooms enjoy stunning views of the South China Sea. The general manager is Boyd Barker; and the director of marketing is Vathsala Subramaniam.

The hotel is offering a special opening rate of MYR195 plus a 15 percent local tax for a deluxe garden room. This rate is valid until August 31, 2005.

The Miri Marriott Resort & Spa is located approximately eight kilometers from Miri Airport. Flight connections from Miri are available to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and the Mulu National Park, a world heritage site. 

"We are delighted at the continued expansion of our portfolio in Malaysia," said Ed Fuller, president and managing director for international lodging at Marriott. "As the premier hotel in Miri, the resort is ideally situated to attract leisure and business travelers. We are thrilled to conduct business in this dynamic city."

For dining and entertainment, the Miri Marriott Resort & Spa offers a unique restaurant, Zest, offering a variety of international cuisine including Italian and local Asian flavors. The hotel's Matahari Pool Terrace, complete with swim up bar, offers fantastic views of tropical sunsets. Borneo Baking Company is the hotel's bakery and delicatessen and Lush Bar offers guests a great place to relax and unwind with exotic cocktails, Asian Tapas and live music.

Recreational facilities include a large outdoor swimming pool, daily resort activities for adults and children, a fully equipped fitness center and two tennis courts, complete with Peter Burwash International Tennis Program and coaching. Mandara Spa, Southeast Asia's largest operator of tropical garden spas provides luxurious and relaxing spa treatments suitable for every guest.

For meetings, the Miri Marriott Resort & Spa will offer 6 meeting rooms and 826 square meters of total meeting space.

The Miri Marriott Resort & Spa, along with over 2,600 Marriott affiliated hotels worldwide, participates in Marriott Rewards, the guest reward program that allows members to earn their choice of points and airline miles for every dollar spent each stay.