Twin Bridges Motor Hotel

The Twin Bridges Motor Hotel, later known as the Twin Bridges Marriott was the first lodging facility operated by what would become Marriott International [http://www.blogs.marriott.com/personal/default.asp?item=443824 Fifty Years in the Hotel Business] Bill Marriott's Personal Blog at Marriott.com] . It opened on about January 18th, 1957, shortly before the second inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and was demolished in 1990. [http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CountyBoard/meetings/2005/oct/1015/3.pdf Site Plan for Former Twin Bridges Site] County Board Agenda Item, October 15, 2005, Arlington County Government Website]

Prominent Location

The motel was located in Arlington, Virginia at the Virginia approaches to the 14th Street Bridge, almost directly across the Potomac River from the Jefferson Memorial in the District of Columbia. From this position it had views of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. Its address was 333 Old Jefferson Davis Memorial =ArlingtonCountyPDF/> The motel was highly visible and under the aerial approaches to Reagan National Airport.

After its demolition in 1990, the Arlington County, Virginia government refused to grant permission for two seven-story office buildings on the site (and an adjacent parcel at 355 Old Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway). Instead, the county organized an exchange of parcels to ensure that no commercial structure would be built on the site given its visual prominence and sensitive location. The site is being developed as a public recreation area as Arlington County's Long Bridge Park. [https://www.co.arlington.va.us/departments/ParksRecreation/forums/northtract/ParksRecreationForumsNorthtractNorthTractPlan.aspx Long Bridge Park, Concepts & Plans] Arlington County Site, www.co.arlington.va.us]

Operation as a Motor Hotel

At its opening, it comprised 365 rooms, each with two double beds and a black and white television set. Rates were $8 per night plus $1 for each person, with a maximum charge of $12. Check-in was outside so the clerk could see how many were in the guests' car. Clerks would then escort the guests to their room by bicycle.

Its proximity to The Pentagon and the airport allowed it to profit from both. Bill Marriott later claimed that it was "one of the very first airport hotels in the country" [http://www.american.com/archive/2007/november-december-magazine-contents/generation-next/ Generation Next] November/December 2007 Issue, "The American"]

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