FOUR SEASONS BUYING MARRIOTT <MHS> HOTEL
<Four Seasons Hotels Inc> and VMS Realty
Partners said they agreed to acquire the Santa Barbara Biltmore
Hotel in California from Marriott Corp, for undisclosed terms.
    Closing was expected by March 31, they added.
    The companies said they would jointly own the hotel and
rename it the Four Seasons Biltmore at Santa Barbara. They said
they would spend more than 13 mln U.S. dlrs "to enhance the
Biltmore's position as one of the finest resort hotels in North
America." Chicago-based VMS Realty is a real estate and
development firm.
 Reuter
