Margaret River will become the second location in Western Australia for Marriott International’s Westin brand after a deal was signed to bring the premium label to the state’s wine region south of Perth.
The Westin Margaret River Resort and Spa will feature 45 suites among a total complement of 120 rooms, each featuring the brand’s signature Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath experience. The new-build property will provide more than 300 jobs in construction and around 100 ongoing to operate and manage the resort.
The property, built in collaboration with Saracen Properties and Security Capital Australia, will be located on the southern headland of Gnarabup Beach and will boast views over the Indian Ocean, offering guests direct access to the famous Cape to Cape walking trail.
Resort facilities will include three restaurants, ranging from an all-day outlet, lobby lounge and bar adjacent to the resort-style swimming pool. Wellness will play heavily in the property’s leisure facilities, with a Westin Workout Fitness Studio and Heavenly Spa set to feature along with the brand’s burgeoning Run Westin program, which sees hotel staff able to take guests on scheduled jogging sessions along numerous nearby trails. Events will also be well catered with a 400 square metre venue complete with pre-function area and a separate entrance.
Marriott International Area Vice President, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, Sean Hunt, said that when open, the resort will perfectly complement the existing Westin Perth as the ideal book-end pair for travellers.
“Expanding the Westin brand into the Margaret River region is important strategically, as the city is enjoying great growth and is not showing any signs of slowing down,” he said.
“Visitor numbers are at a record high and are on track to increase by 5.1 percent in the next ten years, as people seek out the beautiful beaches, world-renowned wineries and beautiful scenery that the South West Region is famed for.”
CBRE Hotels, which acted as a key advisor and orchestrated the negotiation of the management agreement, said the announcement was a welcome boost in the current climate.
“The Westin Margaret River Resort & Spa will be a major drawcard for the South West region and will further boost Margaret River’s presence on the international stage. More than 15 regional and international operators bid for this opportunity, which underlines the scarcity of five-star resort development opportunities in thriving regional Australian leisure markets,” said CBRE Head of Capital Markets for Western Australia, Aaron Desange.
“Importantly, this announcement will increase the region’s luxury tourism appeal, which will help contribute to injecting much-needed revenue back into our state after particularly challenging economic times.”
Property developer King & Wood Mallesons (KWM), which will bring the resort to life, added that the deal was signed during a particularly difficult time for the hotel industry.
“We believe it will result in a fabulous addition to the hospitality landscape in WA, which was made possible by all parties involved having the capacity to see past the present and into a promising future for high quality hotel product,” said KWM Partner and Head of Real Estate in WA, Carl Black.
The Westin Margaret River Resort and Spa is on track to open in 2023.