International hotel chain Marriott has launched a new Facebook game this week which allows fans to run their own virtual hotel, in a bid to entertain bored internet users — and attract new staff for its hotels.

My Marriott Hotel, available on the Marriott fan page, is a virtual hotel which needs to be run in the same way as popular Facebook games such as FarmVille and Cityville, and the latest of a host of games which appeal to the hotel manager in all of us.

Gamers will progressively unlock different areas of their hotel, beginning in the kitchen where they can buy ingredients, hire chefs and kit out the area, as well as building the menu for themselves.

As with other Facebook games, gamers can earn points for happy customers and lose points for poor service, as well as being rewarded when their hotel earns a profit.

The game can be played in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Mandarin.

Marriott says that with online games now the second most popular activity on the web, it hopes My Marriott Hotel will boost interest in careers with the group and in hospitality in general.

It’s also likely to prove popular with hotel fans, although it faces considerable competition — the idea of living in or running a virtual hotel seems to be a popular one with Facebook users, with Playfish’s Hotel City among the most popular.

The best hotel games on Facebook

Hotel City – With a cute layout and some fun guests, Hotel City is one of the most popular hotel games on Facebook. It’s easy to learn and requires little time to play. 1.7 million monthly users.
http://apps.facebook.com/hotelcity/

Habbo Hotel – Habbo Hotel is all about social interaction, allowing users to meet others by wandering around a packed hotel. Players can take part in quests while listening to a lively soundtrack, buy items and earn badges. French, German, Italian, Spanish and several other language versions are available. 606,000 monthly users.
http://apps.facebook.com/habbous/

My Marriott Hotel – Kit out your hotel, hire staff and serve guests with Marriott’s new recruiting tool. Simple but addictive, although currently restricted to the kitchen only. 690 monthly active users.
http://apps.facebook.com/mymarriotthotel/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIeeg-XndeU