Marina Inn to take on Delta Hotels by Marriott brand

Delta is Marriott's newest, full-service hotel brand featuring a modern, contemporary edge. The Delta Hotel intuitively meets the needs of business travelers and carries a strong reputation as a leading, upscale hospitality brand with more than 11,000 rooms in 43 operating hotels across the United States and Canada.

The Marina Inn's transition to the Marriott brand has been in the works for more than a year, according to Ralph Bobian, general manager of Delta Hotels by Marriott, who also oversees the adjoining Kahill's Chophouse.

Owner John Gleeson applied for a franchise with Marriott International Inc. and his application was approved last summer.

Marriott acquired the Delta brand, which originated in Canada, in 2015 and has been aggressively growing its presence nationwide and globally since. The South Sioux City location will be the chain’s third in the Midwest, joining Chicago and Fargo, N.D., according to the company website.

Bobian said being part of Marriott’s new full-service brand will provide brand recognition for those travelers who are loyal to Marriott hotels. This change is sure to help the hotel’s positioning in the market but will also make Sioux City more desirable to the traveler coming into the area looking for an upscale full-service option.

"There will be many benefits to guests," he said. "We can now offer Marriott rewards, which is important to both business and leisure travelers. Most frequent travelers are loyal to a particular brand."

Being part of a national brand affects the community and surrounding areas as well.

"It makes Siouxland a more desirable market. It is very exciting for Siouxland to be part of Marriott's newest upscale, full-service brand. It’s sure to make our market more attractive to people looking to relocate to Sioux City as well as those coming to visit friends and family or traveling on business,” he said.

Since the agreement, many corporate teams from Marriott have been on site to support the team during the transition to the Delta Hotels by Marriott brand.

"We've made a lot of changes to the property in the past eight months preparing for the transition," said Anne Lee, director of Sales & Marketing at Delta Hotels by Marriott South Sioux City Riverfront. 'We were expected to make many physical changes to meet the brand standards."

To prepare for the transition, many of the hotel's 181 guest rooms were renovated with high-end finishes. The corridors, exterior and port cochere have also been refinished.

Additions include a new business center, a state-of-the-art 24/7 fitness center, complimentary wireless Internet throughout, a new coffee bar serving classic Starbucks options and a 24 hour elite pantry giving Elite Marriott Rewards members keyed access to refreshments anytime during their stay.

Bobian said one of the many benefits of the Delta brand is that it offers flexibility to ownership on design.

"John Gleeson has his thumbprint on all of the finishes, including the artwork. The Delta brand gives that flexibility to ownership," he said.

In addition, this new brand will give the hotel better positioning to bring more conventions to the area, while competing with larger cities in the region such as Omaha, Des Moines and Lincoln.

"These large groups and conventions have a very positive impact on the entire area. Our guests enjoy all Siouxland has to offer from gas and retail to food, beverage and entertainment," he said.

The Marina Inn Hotel & Conference Center has been in Siouxland since 1968. The Gleeson family took ownership of the hotel in 1972, shortly after it opened as a Hilton hotel, and it has operated as an independent hotel for the last 40 plus years.

The property has always been competitive in the region by offering a broad range of services, including food and beverage options in Kahill's Chophouse. The property offers 45,000 square feet of meeting space and holds numerous large banquets and events each year.

"Physically, we're the most modern and up to date hotel in the area. It's safe to say we have the longest longevity of our management team and our customer service is second to none," he said. "It will only get better as we take advantage of Marriott's many extensive training programs."

"The Marina Inn has been part of the community and touched many lives over the years. The same great management team will still be here to serve you. We have team members that have been with us for over 30 years and many over 15 years. The high standards of the property are only going to get better and we will continue to be the premium hotel and event center in the market," he said.