Short answers, pulled from the story.
Courtyard by Marriott is an American hotel brand owned by Marriott International. It primarily serves business travelers, though it has broadened over time to also accommodate leisure travelers and families. As of 2023, the chain operated 1,312 properties worldwide.
Courtyard by Marriott opened its first property in 1983 in San Luis, Georgia. It was Marriott's first sister brand, created to reach markets the existing Marriott hotels had not been designed to serve.
As of the 30th of June 2020, there were 1,254 Courtyard hotels worldwide with 187,095 rooms. By 2023, the total had grown to 1,312 properties with 196,960 rooms across five global regions.
Courtyard by Marriott's main competitors in the mid-priced, business-oriented hotel segment are Cambria Hotels & Suites, Wingate Inn, and Hilton Garden Inn.
Launched in 2007, Marriott's Refreshing Business Initiative updated Courtyard properties with redesigned lobbies and bars featuring extended hours. Those bars were noted for providing a popular social space while also increasing revenue at the properties.
In 2017, Courtyard by Marriott became the first American chain hotel to open on the island of Bonaire. Through a partnership with the local dive shop Dive Friends Bonaire, the property also became the first Courtyard hotel in the world to include an onsite scuba diving shop.