The hotel opening is a major milestone as the company celebrates its 95th year. Its first lodging property, the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957 and was a four-story motor hotel in Arlington, VA.

“From the nine-seat root beer stand that my grandparents started nearly 95 years ago in downtown Washington, to the milestone opening of our 8,000th property, we have been fortunate to call this area our home,” said David Marriott, director/incoming chairman, Marriott International board of directors. “Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ reflects the continued transformation of the Marriott Hotels brand, and we are thrilled to embark on a new era of inspired travel and design with the opening of this hotel.”

The hotel is owned by The Bernstein Companies and managed by Marriott International.

Guestrooms and suites contain multi-functional furniture; technology-enabled work surfaces with built-in universal adapters; and rose gold-tinted mirrors. Hotel features include a fitness center with Peloton bikes, a second-floor library highlighting local authors and a curated art collection from local artists that is showcased throughout guestrooms and public spaces, including a large-scale mural by multimedia artist Liz Collins.

Constructed to be LEED Gold certified with custom and sustainable design, the hotel features five rooftop green spaces growing select ingredients for hotel menus and is designed to reduce pollution, save energy and manage stormwater, according to the company.

The property also has three food & beverage outlets, including Bethesda’s first high-rise rooftop bar; M Club, an exclusive space reserved for hotel guests who are Marriott Bonvoy Elite and Club paying members; and nearly 8,000 sq. ft. of pre-function and event space. Meeting rooms are named after destinations significant to the company’s history, such as Twin Bridges, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta.