Students Learn from Site Visit to Newly Renovated Marriott Courtyard Hotel

Students from Meredith College’s Hotel and Resort Management class in its Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management Program conducted a site visit to the newly renovated Marriott Courtyard Hotel, which sits just steps from Triangle Town Center in North Raleigh and features a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Students had a great tour of the front and back of the house led by General Manager Natasha Maggitt that included a stop in the laundry facility where they talked about the hotel’s sustainability initiatives, room tours (the group loved the king room that opens to the lovey stone patio), inspection of indoor and outdoor meeting space and a stop in the kitchen. The visit finished with a great Q&A in “the living room” with Maggitt, who shared her experiences in the business, the challenges she and her team face currently, and their plans for success as the pandemic ends. It was fun to learn that Maggitt’s mother was also a hotel GM! Maggitt encouraged Meredith students to “really consider what kind of hotel they might want to work in and which part of the hotel might suit them best.”

The premise for Meredith’s visit was Program Director Michael Altman approaching Maggitt a while back during a meeting of the Triangle Area Hotel & Motel Association (TAHMA) to congratulate her on her recent election as vice president of TAHMA and to discuss with her a possible hotel internship program for Meredith’s Hospitality and Tourism students. Maggitt jumped at the opportunity and generously made time to share her story and provide students with the opportunity to experience the property’s revitalization and inner workings and learn how they continue to be such a popular place in North Raleigh.

Learn more about the hospitality and tourism management program