KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett says the new 220-room AC Marriott Kingston Hotel scheduled to start taking guests on June 17 represents a game changing addition to Kingston’s tourism market. 

“AC Marriott Kingston hotel will dramatically improve the marketing and development of Kingston as a viable City Tourism destination,” Bartlett is quoted as saying during a walk through led by Sandals/ATL Group’s Deputy Chairman Adam Stewart and joined by General Manager, Koen Hietbrink, and Senior Advisor/Strategist, Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright. 

The walk through came a day after Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Bartlett and a slew of government, diplomatic and private sector leaders joined the official opening of the Evan Williams and Joe Bogdanovich-led boutique R Hotel on Renfrew Road in New Kingston and days after a 2020-opening announcement of the new Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel on property owned by PanJam Investment on the downtown Kingston waterfront.

The Tapestry multi-purpose complex will include retail, on-site entertainment and commercial office spaces. 

“The presence of products like these, adds to the statement that Kingston wants to make, that it has arrived and that it is ready for the status of a big city tourism destination. So we are also excited about building out these very important elements of what true City Tourism is about,” Bartlett noted in a statement from his ministry.

The AC Marriott designed by Synergy Design Studios, is a Gordon “Butch” Stewart- led Sandals Resorts International development located on Lady Musgrave Road in the New Kingston/Golden Triangle area and adjoins the ATL Automotive Group’s BMW and MINI showroom.