Starwood Plans Florida Westin Resort

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to open a Westin brand location in southwest Florida. The company will manage The Westin Resort at Tarpon Point Marina, a prestigious waterfront community in Cape Coral. The opening is due for later this year, offering 262 oversised rooms and suites, several dining spots, meeting space and world-class resort facilities.

The property was first opened in 2009 as The Resort at Marina Village, located between Naples and Tampa – 14 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport and close to Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island, the Ding Darling Nature Preserve, Sanibel Island and several golf courses. It will undergo a huge renovation to introduce all of the Westin brand’s signature services and amenities. The venue will offer great views of the Gulf of Mexico, San Carlos Bay and the Caloosahatchee River. Amenities will include a lagoon-style pool, an amphitheater, as well as a full-service marina with fishing, water sports and cruises.

Innovative programmes and instinctive services from Westin will transform every aspect of a stay into a revitalising experience. All suites and rooms will be fitted with the Westin Heavenly Bed, the Heavenly Bath – which features the Heavenly Shower, Robe and White Tea Aloe bath items – and high speed internet access in rooms. The brand’s signature SuperFoodsRX menu will also be available, including delicious and nutrient-rich options.

The Marker92 Waterfront Bar & Bistro will have indoor and patio dining seats available and a menu featuring fresh seafood, sushi, steak and wine. The Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill will have a more casual atmosphere, with al fresco dining and live music. The Silver King Market & Deli will be great for salads, sandwiches and snacks.

The Westin resort will also boast a new Westin Kids Club and Westin WORKOUT fitness studio, giving guests options for cardio, stretching and strengthening exercises. The 4,000-foot spa will be turned into a Westin Heavenly Spa shortly after opening, while renovations will also be made to the 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts senior vice president of North America development Allison Reid says they are excited to enter the increasingly popular and vibrant southwest Florida market. They believe the signature amenities and programmes offered through the Westin brand, combined with the oversised rooms and suites and stunning views, will make for an ideal holiday destination. Westin is a long-time developer favourite, and it continues attracting a growing share of conversion opportunities like this to fuel expansion throughout the continent, he added.

The resort is owned by Freeman & Hasselwander Resort Properties, LLC. Chris Freemand and Brad Hasselwander say they are thrilled to partner with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to bring Westin – a highly respected and world-class brand – to this largely untapped and beautiful Florida destination. They believe the brand is an ideal fit for this harbour community and that the resort will have great appeal with the location, children’s club, state-of-the-art workout facility, spa and 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space, they added.