After years of delay, a proposed hotel is moving forward on the Marina del Rey waterfront.

The new hotel -  which would be dually operated by Marriott's Courtyard and Residence Inn brands - is slated for an approximately 1.5-acre site near the intersection of Via Marina and Tahiti Way.  Plans call for a pair of low-rise structures which would house a combined total of 288 guest rooms, plus meeting space, a restaurant and a second-floor pool deck overlooking the water.

A six-story building at the northern side of the property would house the proposed Courtyard Marriott.  The Courtyard brand, which caters to business travelers, offers free Wi-Fi, in-room desks and numerous working spaces for small group meetings and individual use.

The Residence Inn - intended for a five-story structure  at the southern edge of the property - would cater to extended-stay guests through larger suites featuring home comforts such as personal kitchens.

Designs from ACRM Architects call for significant open space, including an outdoor patio, a second-floor pool deck overlooking the Marina, and a 28-foot wide-pedestrian promenade along the waterfront.  A proposed wetlands park is planned immediately south of the hotel in a separate project.

Parking for the Courtyard Marriott and Residence Inn hotels would be situated largely within a below-grade garage with accommodatiosn for up to 212 vehicles.  An additional 21 public parking spaces would be located at-grade, intended for use by hotel patrons and the visitors to the adjacent park.

Construction of the hotel development would occur over approximately 24 months, but an exact starting date is currently unclear.

The project is significantly smaller in scale than the San Diego-based Hardage Group's earlier proposal for the site, which would have created a 19-story tower.  However, even the reduced scale of the current proposal has drawn stiff opposition from a vocal group of Marina del Rey residents.