FORUM GROUP, INC.
 
                                          February 23, 1996
 
Dear Shareholder:
 
  On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to inform you that Forum
Group, Inc. has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Marriott
International, Inc. pursuant to which Marriott has agreed to acquire the
Company. Under the merger agreement, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marriott
today commenced a cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of the
Company's common stock at a price of $13.00 per share. Under the merger
agreement, the tender offer will be followed by a merger of Marriott's
subsidiary with and into the Company pursuant to which any remaining shares
will be converted into the right to receive $13.00 per share in cash, without
interest.
 
  YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BY UNANIMOUS VOTE, APPROVED THE MERGER AGREEMENT,
INCLUDING THE TENDER OFFER AND MERGER, AND DETERMINED THAT THE TERMS OF THE
TENDER OFFER AND MERGER ARE FAIR TO AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMPANY
AND THE SHAREHOLDERS. ACCORDINGLY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SUBJECT TO ITS
FIDUCIARY DUTIES, UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT ALL SHAREHOLDERS ACCEPT THE
OFFER AND TENDER THEIR SHARES TO MARRIOTT'S SUBSIDIARY.
 
  In arriving at its decision to recommend the offer, the Board of Directors
gave careful consideration to a number of factors, which are described in the
Schedule 14D-9 filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and enclosed with this letter. In addition to the enclosed Schedule
14D-9, also enclosed is Marriott's offering materials which include the Offer
to Purchase, dated February 23, 1996, together with related materials
including a Letter of Transmittal, to be used for tendering your shares. These
documents set forth the terms and conditions of the tender offer and the
merger and provide instructions as to how to tender your shares. I urge you to
read the enclosed materials carefully.
 
  Forum Group's management and Directors thank you for the support you have
given the Company over the years.
 
Sincerely,
 
/s/ Mark L. Pacala
Chairman and 
Chief Executive Officer