JW Marriott brand to make Aussie debut

JW Marriott will make its debut in Australia this December following a $35 million rebrand of Queensland’s iconic Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa.

Australian design studio DBI, the original architects and interior designers behind the existing property, were engaged to reimagine the iconic resort and to elevate the property to JW Marriott’s standards of modern luxury.

With a total of 223 rooms and suites, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa has been designed to promote and reflect the beauty and relaxed mood of coastal Queensland.

The resort’s public spaces will be redefined, but will retain the emblematic features of the original tropical design, which worked to create a connection to the surrounding lush hinterland landscape.

The new-look guest rooms, offering a choice of ocean or hinterland views, also draw inspiration from the local landscapes and surrounding elements.

All bathrooms will have the ability to be opened up to the bedrooms, providing a greater sense of connectivity and a composition of lightly toned, natural timbers, locally-sourced stone and soft, curved forms will create a sophisticated coastal character.

JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa will feature six food and beverage venues, including two feature restaurants, a lobby lounge and bar, a pool bar, a new Japanese whisky bar, and a signature JW Marketplace.

The revamped property will offer 2,000 square metres of refreshed, state-of-the-art function space featuring 10 scalable meeting spaces for different event requirements.

The upgraded pillarless, 715-square-metre JW Ballroom will have vehicle access, geared for large-scale exhibitions and product launches. A junior ballroom will provide 276 square metres of flexible, stylish space for creative meetings and events.

Like the rest of Marriott’s properties, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa has put in place a comprehensive approach to meet the safety challenges presented by COVID-19.

These include higher standards of cleanliness throughout the hotel, as well as modifications to associate-guest protocols developed to be consistent with social distancing guidelines.

Sean Hunt, area vice president for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific at Marriott International, said: “The opening will signal the continued expansion of our luxury footprint in Australia as we continue to see strong demand within the luxury travel segment here.

“The JW Marriott brand, with its distinctive luxury philosophy, will resonate with these travellers who seek exceptional, thoughtfully-crafted services and experiences.”

Ravinder Dhesi, general manager of JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be embarking on the transformation of our tropical paradise oasis to offer genuine luxury experiences here on the golden beaches of the Gold Coast.

“We look forward to welcoming our guests back to our enhanced resort and to anticipating their every need with our exceptional levels of service and warm and welcoming team.”

The resort will continue to welcome guests during its ongoing upgrade.

Earlier this month, Marriott announced its 800th property in the Asia-Pacific region with the launch of the JW Marriott brand in Japan.

Featured image source: Marriott International