Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Méridien to Open May 2005

The countdown has begun for the May opening of the first hotel on Dubai’s newest lifestyle location, Dubai Marina, the 45-storey Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Méridien.

General manager, Pam Wilby said, “With the rapid development of the hospitality sector in Dubai, we have to create something very different. It is important that the hotel has a distinctive identity that will complement its location and striking tower design.”

From January 2005 the management team will take over the first 15 floors of the hotel for fitting out, and work has already been completed on restaurant themes and designs that will be a key feature.

Grosvenor House West Marina Beach will offer a choice of stylish bars and restaurants. Leading the way direct from Paris is the world-renowned Buddha Bar, bringing its unique blend of food, ambience and music to the Middle East.

Wilby explained: “We have developed a range of food and beverage offerings that are different from those already on offer in our sister property, Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. With both properties, guests and apartment residents will have a choice of more than 27 outlets, a menu of unrivalled variety even in Dubai.”

The new hotel will have 217 sea-facing rooms, while the 205 apartments will offer stunning marina views. Three of the signature touches will be a personalised butler service, 24-hour room service from all outlets, use of the beach and pool facilities in the adjacent resort and plasma televisions in rooms.

The top 11 floors will be dedicated to the Grosvenor Club. This will comprise premium executive accommodation together with a dedicated lounge on the 44th floor providing an unrivalled observation deck over Dubai.

All rooms and conference facilities will incorporate broadband internet access and the latest technology, so up-to-date that Wilby said it will not be confirmed until the very last minute to ensure the hotel is at the cutting edge.

“Even those guests who come to Dubai on holiday still expect to have global access and we will ensure that the hotel does not disappoint,” said Wilby. “We will create a modern classic, a hotel that takes the best from the past and marries it with contemporary design and innovation.”

The fourth floor will be dedicated to health, spa and personal grooming. The Retreat Health & Spa will have seven treatment rooms offering the latest spa treatments for both men and women. There will also be a hair and nail studio, Cleopatra baths, steam, sauna and Jacuzzi, plus private rooms for those who seek an indulgent day of pampering.

A ballroom with all facilities for large scale events, plus meeting rooms and syndicate meeting rooms with state of the art technology will complete Grosvenor House’s list of attractions.

“We plan a 60:40 split between business and tourism, but with the exceptional demand from the leisure markets in Europe in particular, we expect our one and two-bedroom apartments to appeal to leisure guests who can enjoy all the resort amenities, but within a different and luxurious environment,” added Wilby.

Rates at the Grosvenor House West Marina Beach by Le Méridien start from £175 per room per night for a deluxe king with sea view and Butler Service. The hotel is one of 11 new Le Méridien properties in the pipeline to open during 2005.

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