The Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ has debuted as the global hotel company’s 8,000th property. The 12-story, 245-room hotel welcomes guests adjacent to Marriott’s forthcoming global headquarters in the Washington, DC suburb of Bethesda, Maryland.
Interiors were spearheaded by Rottet Studio in partnership with Marriott’s in-house design team, while Gensler served as the building architect and architect of record for the interior.
The modern design concept draws inspiration from local scenery with motifs like stone and tiles reminiscent of Bethesda bluestone quarries at the hotel’s entrance. A grand staircase serves as the central focal point of the glass-enclosed lobby, while floor-to-ceiling windows ripple across the property in a nod to the nearby Potomac River.
The Greatroom lobby bar acts as a key social hub alongside indoor-outdoor F&B options conceived to recall Italian piazzas. Equipped with retractable floor-to-ceiling glass walls and a custom bronze wood-fire oven, Seventh State pays homage to Maryland’s entry into the Union, while high-rise rooftop bar Hip Flask reinterprets speakeasy conventions across an expansive outdoor terrace. The signature M Club will also be featured on the ground floor.
The hotel’s 8,000 square feet of dynamic event space is also distinguished by floor-to-ceilings that flood interiors with natural light—illuminating abstract details like cherry blossom light fixtures and watercolor carpeting that channel the region’s most notable natural characteristics. Finally, five large rooftop green spaces will punctuate the LEED Gold-certified property to reduce pollution, save energy, and manage stormwater.
“Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ reflects the continued transformation of the Marriott Hotels brand,” says David Marriott, director and incoming chairman of Marriott’s Board of Directors, “and we are thrilled to embark on a new era of inspired travel and design with the opening of this hotel.”
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