Westin to Open Resort Property Featuring Condo Hotel Residences on the Caribbean Isle of St. Maarten

A new Westin hotel, the Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa, will open on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on December 13, 2006. The property will fly the Westin flag under a license agreement and is developed, owned and managed by Columbia Sussex, developer, owner and operator of more than 85 hotels and seven casinos around the world.

The resort will offer 317 guest rooms and suites (most with ocean views), multiple oceanfront dining options, two lounges, a full-service spa, a casino, retail shops, one of the island's largest freshwater infinity pools with 17 pool side and beach cabanas, a hot tub, swim-up bar and expansive meeting and event facilities. Ninety-nine for-sale condominiums are located on the resort grounds and comprise The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Residences. The condominiums are currently under development and range in price from US$895,000 to US$2 million. Owners will be able to enjoy full access to all of the resort's services and amenities.

“Expansion in the Caribbean is key to our growth strategy,” said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts. “A resort of this caliber on the magnificent Dawn Beach is an ideal addition to our global collection of hotels. In keeping with the Westin brand promise, guests at The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach will benefit from relaxation and personal renewal.”

Situated on Dawn Beach, one of the best of the 37 pristine beaches on the 37-square-mile island, the resort and condominium homes feature balconies, French doors and oversized bathrooms. All of the resort's guestroom suites and residences feature the Westin brand's signature Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath. Guests of the resort can also enjoy the WestinWORKOUT Powered by Reebok fitness facility and WestinWORKOUT Rooms, for those who prefer to exercise in the privacy of their own room.

Resort dining fuses local island flavor, uncompromising service, quality and spectacular views. Five dining options exist and include Ocean,  the indoor/outdoor casual dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily; Aura, a French/Vietnamese fine dining restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating; Liquid, the swim up bar and an oceanside deli. Ocean views are a feature at all resort restaurants. Additionally, 24-hour room service is available.

The 10,124 square-foot Hibiscus Spa, specializing in massage, features 13 treatment rooms. Facials, manicures, pedicures and body treatments are offered, as well. The spa features the Decleor product line which uses aromatherapy and the most active extracts of aromatic plants and essential oils for skincare.

The resort can accommodate events both large and small with more than 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. Features include approximately 10,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space, three boardrooms and a 10,000 square foot ballroom that can divide into five separate rooms -- eight rooms total making it an ideal destination for weddings as well as business conference venues.

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