Starwoods’ Westin brand continues its expansion in the Caribbean with the recent groundbreaking of The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa and the adjacent Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Residences on the scenic island of St. Maarten. Slated to open Fall 2006, The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort & Spa will offer 310 luxurious guest rooms, suites, oceanfront dining, a full-service spa, casino, a wide array of amenities and expansive meeting and event venues. The 99-unit Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Residences will be located on the resort grounds offering owners full access to the resort’s services and amenities. The property will fly the Westin flag under a license agreement and is owned and managed by Columbia Sussex, owner, developer and operator of more than 85 hotels around the world.

“This hotel will be a welcome addition to Westin’s Caribbean resort expansion in choice destinations and we are thrilled to have a presence on St. Maarten, one of the world’s most popular tropical vacation spots,” said Sue Brush, Senior Vice President, Westin Hotels & Resorts. “St. Maarten, like Westin, carries a rich history and we’re delighted to be able to offer our guests the Westin experience on this lovely island.”

“We have successfully built and operated properties in the Caribbean, as well as gaming properties in the U.S., said Columbia Sussex President, William Yung. “Our new St. Maarten resort and residences will allow us to leverage our extensive experience in developing resorts and gaming hotels with the same unparalleled attention to detail bestowed upon our other developments, including The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa, which for the past quarter has ranked #1 of all Westin hotels in North America in customer surveys, and The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa Grand Cayman.”
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