The Westin Brand Makes Its Debut In The United Arab Emirates with the Signing of the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, ATM 2007 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. ® (NYSE: HOT) announced the signing of its Westin flagship hotel in the United Arab Emirates, the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Set on the popular Jumeirah coastline, the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina will bring together the natural beauty of the region with the Westin brand’s signature products and services, designed to offer guests a new sensory experience to feel at their personal best.


“We are proud to grow our existing partnership with Dubai International Marine Club to introduce the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina”, said Roeland Vos, President Starwood Hotels in Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Westin is a very innovative brand, and we have great expectations of this hotel; and believe it will offer a new level of experience to the guests in this region”, added Vos.

“The new Westin is another proof of our commitment and our strategy to expand our brand portfolio in this fast growing region and the Middle East”, said Guido de Wilde, VP Regional Director of Starwood hotels in the Middle East. “With the signing of the new Westin, Dubai will soon host five of our premium and mid-scale brands”, added de Wilde.

The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina will offer the full array of the Westin brand’s products, services and amenities. Guests will experience the Westin Heavenly Bed® and unwind with the help of Westin’s new sensory welcome, consisting of a white tea scent, music, lighting and botanicals.

“We are delighted to open the first Westin resort in Dubai and the UAE which adds to our growing portfolio in this very exciting region” said Sue Brush, senior vice president, Westin Hotels & Resorts. “The broad array of conference facilities, superb recreational options, combined with Westin’s signature products and services, will bring new meaning to personal renewal to its guests”, added Brush.

The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina will offer 294 rooms, including 216 deluxe rooms, 52 Westin executive rooms and 24 suites. The hotel will also include a spa and fitness facility, three themed restaurants, three bars, with access to Le Meridien Mina Seyahi’s eight restaurants and bars.

The hotel’s state of the art conference and banqueting facilities will offer a selection of venues. The facilities will include a ballroom (8,999sqft), Italian designed conference centre with 10 venues, outdoor beachside amphitheatre and a variety of lawn and barbecue areas for up to 5,000 guests.



“Mina Seyahi is already positioned as one of the leading sports and recreation destinations in Dubai; and the new Westin will be able to welcome its guests and offer them the options of two premium brands, the Westin and Le Meridien, in one resort”, said Michael Scully, General Manager of Le Meridien Mina Seyahi hotel.

“We will be able to offer unrivalled facilities of over 1,200m private shoreline and a luxury 238 berth Marina, 5 swimming pools, a watersports centre, Sailing Academy, Health Club with aerobics studio, gymnasium, sauna, deep sea fishing , Golf and Polo”, concluded Scully.

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About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with more than 135 hotels and resorts in more than 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT). Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.