Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Completes Expansion
July 14, 2016
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, owned by Host Hotels & Resorts Inc., in late June completed a groundbreaking expansion. The iconic hotel is now home to a brand new, two-level stacked ballroom project along with Marina Terrace, a grand outdoor area right on the bay, coupled with the public walkway Marina Walk. With its gigantic 16-screen video wall system and distinctive design details such as a unique Swarovski crystal ceiling installation, the world-class venue blends cutting-edge technology with sophisticated, inspired design.
Following an extensive multimillion-dollar makeover of the resort’s guest rooms and public areas in 2011, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina has invested approximately $107 million into its meeting and event venues. The new space delivers premium indoor and outdoor space with increased connectivity between downtown and the bay.
“It’s such an exciting time to plan an event at Marriott Marquis as we greatly expand our options,” says Tuni Kyi, Marriott’s general manager. “This summer we unveiled a truly fresh and innovative product, answering to the tremendous demand we receive here at the hotel.”
Already an unparalleled destination for conventions and in close proximity to the best of San Diego, the new construction has increased the meeting, indoor and outdoor event space to 280,000 sf. The renovation’s showpiece consists of two spectacular 36,000-sf ballrooms (Marriott Grand Ballroom and Pacific Ballroom), each capable of accommodating up to 3,700 guests. Now the largest ballrooms on the West Coast, both have grand foyers reaching up to 25,000 sf, offering options to extend the space.
The new building, which complements the hotel’s existing towers, is uniquely positioned on the waterfront and boasts a striking blue glass design, which makes use of the enviable natural light. Inspired by the beauty of Southern California, the color scheme evokes the allure of the glimmering sand and sea. Stylistic and functional, each space with its clean lines is carefully curated with a contemporary and casual look and feel, as envisioned by tvsdesign, who have thoughtfully addressed scale, form, function and materials to create a memorable experience for visitors. Distinct design details include undulating wave patterns adorning the ceilings and “Tidal,” a one-of-a-kind Swarovski crystal ceiling installation, located in the ballrooms’ prefunction space.
Set against the spectacular backdrop of the city, the customizable space boasts an elliptical glass curtain, offering breathtaking and unobstructed views. State-of-the-art amenities promise to take galas and conferences to the next level with a grand 16-screen video wall system, which is exclusive to the hotel and offers the highest level of videography, sound and production capabilities to create a truly personalized experience. In addition, Marriott has a remarkable team of professional planners, trained to create a seamless event and bring the hosts’ visions to life. Inspiring menus also are available and feature creative cuisine and cocktail pairings.
As part of the expansion, the hotel also completed Marina Terrace, 27,000 sf of paved outdoor event space overlooking the marina. Ideally situated between downtown San Diego and the bay, Marina Terrace is perfect for special celebrations and seasonal city attractions, accommodating up to 4,000 guests with ample seating areas to relax or mingle.
A final piece of the renovation is Marriott Marquis’ Marina Walk, a landscaped walkway where visitors will enjoy beautiful public art, decorative paving and sweeping views of the waterfront. The Walk features two public artworks by Los Angeles-based art collective “After Architecture,” which are “Tide,” an exterior sculpture comprised of a series of LED-illuminated waves, and “Kelp,” an installation constructed of painted steel strips and symbolic of sunlight kelp on the ocean floor. With full wheelchair accessibility and public facilities, Marina Walk’s finishing touches include bike racks and benches.