Marriott Vacation Club Opens First Resort on St. Thomas

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), the recognized worldwide leader in the vacation ownership industry and a division of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) , announced today the opening of its first timeshare resort on St. Thomas - Marriott's Frenchman's Cove.

Creating the atmosphere of a quaint coastal hillside village, the first phase includes 28 two- and three-bedroom villas, a large, beachfront infinity pool, an activities building which offers Marriott's Activity Zone Experience program and a fitness center. Later this summer, the resort will add another 30, two-bedroom villas to the property which is adjacent to the 504-room Frenchman's Reef Marriott Beach Resort.

"The U.S. Virgin Islands are a very popular location, and a perfect complement to our growing portfolio of Caribbean destinations," said Stephen P. Weisz, president of Marriott Vacation Club International. "The unique setting and architectural beauty of this resort will offer memorable vacation experiences for our owners and guests."

Built on 13 waterfront acres overlooking scenic Pacquereau Bay, the resort is reminiscent of an old Trader's village similar to what is seen in the historic town of Charlotte Amalie. Upon build-out, the resort will offer a proposed 220, two- and three-bedroom villas for owners and nightly rental guests. Each villa is designed to reflect the island's diverse European heritage and strong Danish colonial influences. Vacationers can take in the breathtaking views from balconies off each bedroom, as well as other villa features including a fully-equipped kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances, spacious living and dining areas, a washer and dryer, multiple Sony televisions and Sony DVD players. Three-bedroom villas can accommodate up to 10 guests.

Marriott Vacation Club International is the recognized worldwide leader in vacation ownership with 45 resorts and a program highly regarded for its quality and unique flexibility. Now celebrating over 22 years of continued growth, MVCI continues to expand with a diverse portfolio of over 8,500 timeshare resort villas throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Today, more than 332,000 vacation owners around the globe own their vacations "the Marriott way," offering flexible usage options.

For more information, please visit http://www.marriott-timeshare.com/stthomas.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with more than 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories.