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Scully says the new Westin property will be a “friendly” five-star property that maintains the Mina Seyahi’s “strong ties” with the local community.

Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina has commanded a prominent position along the Jumeirah beach strip for some eight years now and has proved a popular place to hang out for visitors and residents alike.

The property, part of the Starwood group, boasts the most comprehensive leisure and water sports facilities in Dubai, if not the GCC, as well as a host of interesting F&B options including the Barasti Bar, which has become one of the places to chill of late.

As such, Mina Seyahi has created a somewhat unique proposition; not only does it attract a healthy mix of leisure and corporate guests, particularly incentives-orientated clientele, but the property has become a home from home for many Dubai residents who are not only attracted to its facilities, but its friendly and relaxing beach club atmosphere.

But come January, the hotel will have a new neighbour - The Westin Dubai Mina Seyhai Beach Resort & Marina - another Starwood property, but pitched at a higher end client.

Westin Mina Seyahi Complex director of sales and marketing, Stefan Friedl, explains: "The Mina Seyahi is a five-star property, in the same league as Sheraton, Hilton Jumeirah and the Habtoor, whereas the Westin is a notch up from where we are now, on par with other Dubai hotels such as Grosvenor House, the One & Only and the Ritz-Carlton."

The key to ensuring the Westin gets its proposition right, however, is ensuring the values that have made the original Mina Seyahi a success are adhered to, he stresses: "We don't want to lose the Mina Seyahi feel and we want to maintain our strong ties with the local community.

This will be easily achieved according to general manager - complex, Michael Scully, who is responsible for both properties.

One USP of the new 293-room property, he says, is the nine-storey-high atrium in the lobby area that will include a library where book launches will be hosted, alongside a chocolate shop/café and an outlet where specialty teas and coffees are served.

"We want to attract Dubai residents and make them feel as welcome at the Westin as they feel at the Mina Seyahi," says Scully. "Even though the property is high end, it should be relaxed and fun."

He believes the Westin brand's debut in the Middle East market will fulfill the need for a fresh hotel proposition in Dubai: "Dubai is in desperate need of a new brand; people are pretty bored with what's here now," he says.

And, despite the obvious synergies across the two hotels, Scully's job is to also ensure that the Westin property is differentiated from a Le Méridien property.

"The Westin will have more sophisticated facilities, a greater choice of outlets, and the standard rooms will be bigger at 50m².

The hotel will be more opulent and beyond five-star," he explains.

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