Any marketer will attest that success rests in consistently giving customers what they want. Following this philosophy for the past 25 years has enabled Marriott International's (NYSE:MAR) Courtyard by Marriott power brand to reach its 800th-hotel milestone with the Courtyard hotel in Shanghai's downtown Xujiahui district, becoming the world's 12th largest hotel brand with hotels in 28 countries.

Today Courtyard celebrates the Grand Opening of its 800th property, the 364-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Xujiahui, Shanghai with a colorful, festive ceremony featuring contemporary and traditional Chinese music and scores of local officials and performers. The downtown hotel in Shanghai is the seventh Courtyard hotel in China with two additional Courtyard properties under construction.

From the start, our innovative Courtyard brand revolutionized the business travel experience," said Brian King, vice president, global brand manager, Courtyard by Marriott, "and has prided itself as a brand that listens to what business travelers want from a hotel--more control and choice with services and amenities that create a healthy balance between working and relaxing."

According to Geoff Garside, Marriott International's executive vice president for Asia-Pacific, the company expects to open more than 200 additional Courtyard hotels worldwide over the next three years. "This year alone, 60 Courtyard properties will join our portfolio including five in India and our eighth Courtyard in China which will be located in Hangzhou."

Key to all Courtyard hotels globally are its tastefully appointed guest rooms which tend to be larger than similar accommodations offered by other hotels in its category, as evidenced by the newest of the Courtyard hotels in Shanghai's downtown Xujiaihui district. Accommodations offer plush bed and bath linens; distinctly defined rest, work, relaxation and grooming areas; a large work desk with bright lighting and ergonomic chair; flat screen television; high-speed internet and voice mail access; safes; iron and ironing board and a coffee/tea maker.

Courtyard lobbies are contemporary, open and stylish, providing access, control and consistency. Colorful, bright and welcoming spaces--such as an area where guests can check e-mail, meet informally with colleagues or simply relax--allow for multipurpose use throughout the day. Meeting rooms, swimming pools, whirlpools and exercise rooms are available at most locations.

Recognizing that guests' needs vary by country, however, Courtyard has redefined the upper moderate lodging tier by building on its core heritage--understanding the needs of business travelers--and adapting this understanding to regional customs and lifestyles while consistently delivering hallmark service and customized services.

The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Xujiahui, Shanghai reflects the heightened expectations of domestic and international business travelers. Its 364 hotel rooms in Shanghai's downtown area are located on 23 floors and offer magnificent views of the city. Included are 105 executive rooms and suites and an executive lounge that provides an array of complimentary value added amenities such as continental breakfast and all-day refreshments, cocktails and snacks in the early evening, a computer work station with internet access and daily two-hour use of the executive floor meeting room at the Courtyard hotel in Xujiahui, Shanghai.

For dining, the Courtyard by Marriott downtown hotel in Shanghai, Xujiahui features Courtyard's vibrant, new Asian all-day restaurant concept, MoMo Café, which combines local cuisine with western favorites. For those in a hurry, the hotel in Shanghai's downtown Xujiahui district offers MoMo 2 Go, an all-day convenience stand that is fully stocked with pastries, sandwiches and beverages.

Recreational amenities include a spacious fitness center equipped with high-tech cardiovascular work-out equipment and an indoor swimming pool with natural light.

For small to medium conferences and social events, the Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai, hotel in Xujiahui offers 8,396 square feet of meeting space, including 13 meeting rooms with the largest accommodating up to 120 people.

Silvio Rosenberger is general manager of the Courtyard hotel in Xujiahui, Shanghai. More information can be found about the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Shanghai's downtown at: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/shasx-courtyard-shanghai-xujiahui/.

Among new geographic locations that Courtyard by Marriott will call home over the next 36 months are Ecuador, Suriname, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Turkey, Barbados, Scotland, Norway, Switzerland, the Philippines and Honduras.

The first Courtyard by Marriott hotel opened in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1983.