. During the quarter, company-operated Marriott Hotel & Resorts branded properties rose corporate room rates by 9 percent, of which two in five hotels increased rates by more than 10 percent and one in eight were able to push such rates higher than 20 percent, Sorenson reported. "special corporate" room rates remained flat while bookings increased 27 percent in the quarter at Marriott properties. North American group rates in company-operated Marriott hotels declined 2 percent in the quarter, whereas group room nights booked grew 6 percent. Sorenson remained confident that 2011 negotiated corporate rates will result in
"high-single-digit" increases, which is a "fair level to expect of where we might settle with companies that we are negotiating with." Systemwide North American average daily rates inched 1.7 percent higher to $118.69 and occupancy rose 3.7 percentage points to 71.8 percent.