Starwood Hotels & Resorts unveils new facilities

Starwood Hotels & Resorts (“Starwood”), the world’s largest luxury and upper-scale hotel operator, has announced a series of significant renovations and openings in the Pacific region for 2013, reflecting the hospitality company’s core commitment to delivering superior guest and MICE services across its international portfolio of hotels.

This year alone, Starwood will see through the completion of three major hotel refurbishments in the Pacific region, as well as celebrate the opening of a second property in New Caledonia, an increasingly popular destination for the Australian MICE market.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Daniella Tonetto, says:

“We are delighted to share these exciting portfolio updates with the industry at AIME 2013. Our recent and upcoming openings in the Pacific region, together with ongoing renovations and product upgrades, demonstrate Starwood’s ongoing commitment to offer MICE professionals and business travellers with enhanced services and even greater venue choices across the globe.”

She continues: “Starwood continuously works to better its facilities and MICE services across the board to make the business of doing business with us as simple and seamless as possible.”

Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour Announces New Meeting space

Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour has announced it will open four brand new meeting spaces this year as part of its larger $20 million renovation. The new additions, known as The Heritage Meeting Rooms, will add an additional 300 square metres of meeting and conference space for hotel clients and guests. Following the introduction of the Heritage Meeting Rooms, the hotel will showcase 21 meeting spaces in total, offering a combined area of approximately 2,000 square metres.

The renovation of the hotel also includes the recent refurbishment of guest rooms, adding a new Premium Room category to the offering, as well as enhancements to the Corn Exchange restaurant and Grand Ballroom. The new Premium Room category has been designed with an interior that embraces simplicity and authenticity, and offers modern amenities and connections to appeal to both the business and leisure guest. The hotel’s Grand Ballroom has also been renewed with a makeover consisting of the latest Audio Visual technology, enhancing the experience for successful meetings and events.

Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour is one of Australia’s largest hotels with 682 rooms including 14 suites. Located in vibrant Darling Harbour area Four Points by Sheraton Sydney offers an extensive range of facilities for the business and leisure traveller.

Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa Announces Major Refurbishment in 2013

Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa, situated in the heart of Noosa on sought-after Hastings Street, has recently announced a major $10 million refurbishment, commencing March 2013 and scheduled for completion in August 2013.

The refurbishment of this iconic resort will incorporate guestrooms, suites, villas and the resort’s conference space, reinforcing the Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa’s position as a leading MICE venue in the area.

The new-look guestrooms will be modern in style and will incorporate local references into the design. Inspired by nature and designed for comfort, the light open spaces will draw on the textures and colours of Noosa’s location taking inspiration from the surrounding natural environment and rich cultural heritage. Also included in the refurbishment plan will be the porte-cochére, providing an enriched sense of arrival, new guest corridors to seamlessly link public areas and guestrooms, plus the repainting of the resort’s exterior to a natural white with friar grey balcony highlights. Wireless internet will also be introduced throughout the grounds of the resort as part of the renovation to ensure guests remain connected throughout their stay.

Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa offers eight flexible meeting rooms, including the Noosa Ballroom, which has capacity for 350 delegates in theatre style, 140 cabaret style or 200 for a seated dinner. In addition to the Ballroom, Laguna 1, 2 and 3 provide additional meeting space.

New Look Conference and Event Venues at Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa

Set amongst 3.4 hectares of sparkling lagoons and tropical gardens, the Sheraton Mirage is the Gold Coast’s only five-star resort to offer an absolute beachfront location, making it one of Australia’s most popular conference, meetings and event venues. With the completion of a $26 million refurbishment in January, the iconic Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast has been transformed into a modern and sophisticated world class venue.

Stage one of the $20 million refurbishment was finalised ahead of schedule at the end of April 2012 and incorporated all 295 rooms and suites, accommodation corridors, lobby, reception desk, guest lifts, Porte Cochere, pool furnishings, Link@Sheraton, Terraces Restaurant and Pearls Bar.

Elevating the momentum, stage two of the works are now complete with an additional $6 million spent on upgrading the meeting venues and selected resort areas. The stunning transformation of the conference venues reveals a modern and sophisticated facility featuring environmentally beneficial technology, gleaming new high traffic paths, neutral coloured wall surfaces drawing on a Mocca and Pearl colour palette thus accenting the vast space, high acoustic ceilings and dramatic lighting effects. Incorporating the latest in audio and visual technology, digital signage and with easy access for large equipment or vehicles, the overall result is to ensure any event, product launch, gala dinner or conference held at the resort is memorable for all the right reasons.

The new refurbishment works have also transformed the outdoor poolside venue into a tropical oasis. Unique with its direct beach access, the outdoor poolside venue is suitable for up to 400 delegates in a banquet setting complete with stage, barbeques and buffets.

Introducing Four Points by Sheraton Perth & Welcoming Sheraton New Caledonia

Starwood’s footprint and MICE offering in the Pacific region is rapidly expanding following the 2012 opening of Four Points Sheraton Perth, and with the coming opening of Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Golf Resort & Spa in December 2013.

Having softly opened in 2012, Four Points by Sheraton Perth this month announces the completion its six month, multi-million dollar refurbishment, with all guestrooms and public spaces now renovated and open to guests. Offering MICE and business travellers quality service, comfort and style, as well as great value for money in Perth, Four Points by Sheraton Perth marks the re-entry of Starwood in Western Australia.

Four Points by Sheraton Perth heralds a new generation of sleek and modern mid-market hotels in Western Australia, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to honest, uncomplicated comfort and ‘can-do’ guest services. Situated in Perth’s CBD opposite the new Perth Arena, the 278-room Four Points by Sheraton Perth has undergone a complete transformation, and caters to business and leisure travelers alike, offering free high-speed Internet access in all public spaces, comfortable guest rooms and a modern casual restaurant and bar. The four meeting venues have been refreshed with new carpet, paint work and finished with the latest audio visual technology enhancing the experience for successful meetings and events. Upon reopening, the meeting venues have been renamed to Fremantle Room I and II, Subiaco Room and Northbridge Room.

The new Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Golf Resort & Spa is slated to open in December 2013, responding to the recent industry trend toward Australian corporate guests visiting the island nation for business events and meetings.

Joining its sister property on the island, the already popular conference venue Le Méridien Noumea, Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Golf Resort & Spa will be a striking MICE offering two hours from Noumea, featuring 180 guest rooms, including 60 bungalows, health club and spa, business centre and more than 490 square metres of meeting space.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts currently operates a robust portfolio of 14 properties across the Pacific region, with nine hotels in Australia, including Sheraton on the Park; The Westin Sydney and The Westin Melbourne; Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa and Sheraton Port Douglas; in addition to three hotels in Fiji and two in New Caledonia. Starwood Pacific Hotels & Resorts manages properties under a range of brands including Westin, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Luxury Collection and Four Points by Sheraton.

Source: eTravel Blackboard, 1 March 2013