Two new Courtyard Hotels in Sweden and Norway are the first of 15 properties expected to open by 2013, Marriott International, Inc.will vastly expand its presence in Scandinavia over the next six years under a recently concluded multiple franchise agreement with the Scandinavian Hospitality Group AG (SHG).

The agreement is expected to result in the opening of 15 hotels under the Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard and Marriott Executive Apartments brands in Sweden, Norway and Finland through 2013. Marriott's first hotel in Scandinavia is the Copenhagen Marriott which opened in 2001.

The first two properties to open under the agreement are scheduled for 2009. They are the:
• 272-room Courtyard by Marriott Stockholm-Kungsholmen in Sweden
• 155-room Courtyard by Marriott Kristiansund in Norway

"We are thrilled that soon travelers to Scandinavia will be able to stay in a Marriott International-branded hotel. Having a strong presence in the region has been a strategic objective of ours for a long time. We are equally delighted to be working with the Scandinavian Hospitality Group.

They are an experienced hotel company with a proven track record of successfully operating major brands. We are confident that these two properties will be popular and successful with the traveling public," said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International's chief financial office and president of Europe.

"The Marriott product and its standards will bring innovation into the Scandinavian market. These two Courtyards are the first out and they will soon be a part of an even bigger Marriott branded hotel family in Scandinavia.

Working together with Marriott so far has been a fantastic experience. Marriott's different brands, their people and the way they do business give SHG an opportunity to succeed in the Scandinavian market," said Harald Jacobsen, SHG's president.

Courtyard is Marriott's largest brand. At nearly 800 properties globally, it ranks as the 13th largest hotel brand in the world. Courtyard hotels are aimed at travelers who put a premium on having superior accommodations and functional and welcoming environments that enable them to focus on the business at hand.

Guest rooms at both Courtyard hotels will have high quality finishes, featuring marble bathrooms, oversized, glass-top work desks, ergonomic chair, two telephone lines, a data-port, high-speed internet access, in-room mini-fridge and safe and Marriott's newly introduced finer bed and bath linens—all in a welcoming environment that provides "peace of mind," connection and relaxation.