Eastside Business News at EastsideBusinessWeekly.com

Call it equal parts harmony and hospitality. Marriott International, Inc. announced the December arrival of Bellevue Downtown Courtyard by Marriott in the city's downtown core at 11010 NE 8th Street. The five story property features eight suites and 243 generously appointed guest rooms.

“We're excited to bring Courtyard's offering of comfort and functionality to downtown Bellevue,” said Bellevue Downtown Courtyard General Manager Rick Tupper. “ Bellevue's aggressive growth means new opportunities for businesses, residents, visitors and conference attendees, and the development of our new property is part of that energy created by the city's evolution.”

As the closest property to Bellevue's Meydenbauer Convention Center, Courtyard is a natural destination for conference attendees and business travelers. The hotel's proximity to Bellevue Square, Old Bellevue, Bellevue Galleria, and shopping and dining destinations means guests do not have to sacrifice recreation for business. On site businesses and services include Starbucks Coffee, car rental station, laundry service, and The Market, a 24-hour convenience shop for snacks and sundries.

Courtyard is uniquely designed with the inspiration of feng shui, the ancient art of environmental placement based on the idea that all objects have dynamic relationships with each other and that their interaction can encourage (or dissuade) a person's fate and fortune (after all, business travelers with delicate contract negotiations can always use good fortune!). Those reading into “number signs” will appreciate the hotel phone number suffix of 5888, which symbolizes prosperity.

The hotel offers four meeting rooms totaling 4,000 square feet of meeting space (maximum seating capacity of 300). Complimentary high-speed Internet access is available in all guestrooms. Additional amenities include an indoor pool, health club, on-site parking, a fully equipped business center, a ground floor Starbucks and the hotel's own Courtyard Café.

The always spacious guest rooms offer form and function. In addition to free high-speed Internet access, enjoy an ergonomic chair set before a well-lit desk and thoughtfully placed electrical outlets. Room service offers dinner, and if you can't break away to Starbucks for the latte, there's still the in-room coffeemaker. For the roving talker, two double line speaker phones have 25-foot extension cords. Love TV? A 27-inch flat screen, cable-endowed television feels a lot like home. Getting ready for the day is a snap with the hair dryer, oversized vanity and ironing board/iron set-up.

Reservations are being taken now. For more information, please contact the Bellevue Downtown Courtyard by Marriott at ( 425) 454-5888 or visit www.marriott.com/bvudt.