From the current Colonial Williamsburg president
In the last Town Hall meeting, I mentioned that we were exploring a partnership with Marriott International. I am pleased to announce today that the Foundation has recently signed a franchise agreement with Marriott International for The Williamsburg Lodge to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The Autograph Collection consists of over 100, one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. The Colonial Williamsburg Company, the Foundation’s for-profit subsidiary, will continue to own and operate the Williamsburg Lodge.
By joining Marriott’s Autograph Collection, Colonial Williamsburg will benefit from its reservation distribution system and the ability for guests to earn or redeem Marriott Rewards points when they stay at The Williamsburg Lodge. We expect that this will result in higher occupancy rates and greater revenues from food and beverage services.
A transition team is being formed to work with our Marriott partners to convert to Marriott’s systems, procedures, training and design standards. There will be changes to the guest rooms at The Williamsburg Lodge, but each building will be scheduled for renovation as demand warrants.
When The Williamsburg Lodge “open” as an Autograph Collection hotel next January, the only physical change to the outside will be a brass plaque indicating the hotel is part of the Autograph Collection. The hotel will still be known as The Williamsburg Lodge and continue to be owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and operated by the Colonial Williamsburg Company. This means that all Hospitality employees will continue to be employed by the Colonial Williamsburg Company and not Marriott International.
There are many other benefits to joining the Autograph Collection, and we look forward to working with our new partners at Marriott.
In the last Town Hall meeting, I mentioned that we were exploring a partnership with Marriott International. I am pleased to announce today that the Foundation has recently signed a franchise agreement with Marriott International for The Williamsburg Lodge to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The Autograph Collection consists of over 100, one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts. The Colonial Williamsburg Company, the Foundation’s for-profit subsidiary, will continue to own and operate the Williamsburg Lodge.
By joining Marriott’s Autograph Collection, Colonial Williamsburg will benefit from its reservation distribution system and the ability for guests to earn or redeem Marriott Rewards points when they stay at The Williamsburg Lodge. We expect that this will result in higher occupancy rates and greater revenues from food and beverage services.
A transition team is being formed to work with our Marriott partners to convert to Marriott’s systems, procedures, training and design standards. There will be changes to the guest rooms at The Williamsburg Lodge, but each building will be scheduled for renovation as demand warrants.
When The Williamsburg Lodge “open” as an Autograph Collection hotel next January, the only physical change to the outside will be a brass plaque indicating the hotel is part of the Autograph Collection. The hotel will still be known as The Williamsburg Lodge and continue to be owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and operated by the Colonial Williamsburg Company. This means that all Hospitality employees will continue to be employed by the Colonial Williamsburg Company and not Marriott International.
There are many other benefits to joining the Autograph Collection, and we look forward to working with our new partners at Marriott.
