Ramada International Hotels & Resorts, a division of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR), announced today that they will return to Australia after a five year absence with the opening of the Ramada Hotel Melbourne in September under a franchise agreement with Asia Pacific Hotels Pty. Ltd.

“We are very pleased and excited about our first hotel in Australia. We have been working very hard to establish a foot hold in Australia. Several years ago we announced several projects that are still active but struggling with securing financing. The Ramada in Melbourne will be an excellent representation for our brand and we hope to attract other investors and developers to develop the Ramada brand in Australia,” said Reas Kondraschow, senior vice president and managing director, Ramada International Hotels & Resorts.

This 182-room new build hotel will be located at 270 Flinders Street directly opposite the Flinders Street Station, Melbourne’s main suburban railway station. The hotel is walking distance to Southgate, a new restaurant and entertainment area, the Crown Casino and the Melbourne Exhibition Center.

The Ramada Hotel Melbourne will feature 114 single rooms, 61 double rooms and seven rooms for disabled guests. For dining and entertainment, the hotel has a café that seats 64 people. For meetings, there is a 146-meter meeting room that can be divided into two.

The Ramada Hotel Melbourne will maintain Ramada International’s five pillars, which are: a restful sleep, an invigorating shower, a well-trained staff, an exceptional level of cleanliness, and the “Ramada Mornings Breakfast” - a selection that is hot, delicious and easy.

All of the hotel’s rates are listed in MARSHA, Marriott’s central reservations system, and are now bookable under the Ramada International GDS code NR in the Sabre, Worldspan, Amadeus and Apollo/Galileo systems as well as EM, for Every Marriott. The hotel may also be booked on Ramada International’s Web site, www.ramadahotels.com.

There are currently more than 130 Ramada International hotels in 20 countries and territories.

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