The openings mark the most extensive and technologically sophisticated resort to be launched in the United States in the 21st century.
Gary Sims, General Manager, said that the resort is primed to receive its first groups on Feb. 10 and that we'll be fully operational and ready to receive them.
He said that a meticulously orchestrated pre-opening program has gone successfully, with the interviewing and subsequent hiring of over 1,200 employees in November and intensive training conducted throughout December.
Because we're part of Starwood, we could tap into that company's highly dynamic start-up team and did not have to 're-invent' the wheel in terms of systems, said Sims. This means that within just a few weeks we are satisfied that the level of professionalism and service we will offer, when combined with superior facilities and cutting-edge technology are creating the perfect resort thus far in the 21st century, Sims said.
Opening Room Rates
Room rates range from $289 - $359 and suites range from $475 to $6,000. For further information or reservations contact The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, 3555 South Ocean Drive, Hollywood, FL, 33019 by calling 954-602-6000 or 888-627-9057. Visit the Web site at www.diplomatresort.com.
Adding a new and modern dynamic to the landscape, the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa is a 39-story hotel offering 900 rooms and 100 suites. Strategically located on the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, each room offers exceptional space with views of the water in all directions. In addition, two international airports, two executive airports and the world's top two-passenger ports-of call are all near the resort.
The resort, managed and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts, emphasizes personal attention and service, including a wide menu of amenities for its guests.
Amenities Galore
The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa's amenities include its Executive Club Lounge located on the 33rd floor VIP concierge level which provides a continental breakfast, private pantry wet bar for intimate hospitality service and two adjoining meeting rooms for small groups. Guest services also include a business center, non-smoking rooms, on-premise dining, disability access, Westin's Service Express and Westin Kids Club.
The Diplomat Country Club, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection, is an amenity to The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa. Guests are shuttled the less than a mile distance by water taxi along the Intracoastal Waterway. The Mediterranean-designed Diplomat Country Club boasts 60 boutique-style rooms with on-premise dining, an 18-hole championship golf course with PGA golf instruction, 10-clay tennis courts for day and night play and a 30,000-square-foot Spa with private treatment rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and offers invigorating classes and treatments.
The Diplomat Landing, located on the Intracoastal Waterway, is a 50,000-square-foot retail complex features upscale shopping, dining and entertainment for hotel guests. It is located directly across the street from The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa and a pedestrian skywalk offers easy access to it. A 30-slip marina accommodating yachts is also available.
Generous Space and Detail Hallmark of The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa Nichols Brosh Sandival Architects juxtaposed crisp lines and sweeping curves associated with an Art Deco Style, then anchored them with a classical foundation of rich woods, fine detailing and hand-cut marble and granite throughout. The five-story atrium lobby is canopied with 48 freeze-dried palm trees and walls of shimmering water cascading aesthetically as space dividers between escalators. Beyond the lobby is a 240-foot, lagoon-style pool flowing parallel to the Atlantic Ocean and bridged by a unique see-through bottomed pool with waterfalls.
High Tech Combined with Sensual Room Appointments
A hallmark of the new resort is its technological capability offering unparalleled, cutting-edge, all-fiber, gigabyte infrastructure to accomplish state-of-art meetings and conventions. Its technological capacity and menu of services anticipate the most sophisticated requirements with 1,100 dataports, bandwidth-on-demand, on-site IT staff, redundant ISP feeds, video conferencing and Janus plasma display screens/reader boards. In-room amenities include high-speed Internet access, two dataports: one for Internet usage, one for private networking (virtual LAN), television has On-Command, a wireless keyboard services that offers gaming, etc., a TV scroll for daily hotel activities as well as corporate meetings, two dual-line speaker and cordless phones with voicemail and 5-digit dialing between The Westin Diplomat Resort and the Country Club. In addition to high tech convenience, The Westin Diplomat Resort features their trademark 10-layer Heavenly Bed with custom-designed, pillow-top mattress, down blanket and five pillows, plantation shutters from bathroom opening into bedroom and overlooking Atlantic Ocean or Intracoastal Waterway, in-room safe large enough for a lap-top computer, refreshment center, coffee maker, hair dryer, in-room movies and a CD player/radio.
On-Premise Dining Convenient for Guests
Fine, casual and poolside dining opportunities are offered at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa. Hollywood Prime is the signature restaurant which will serve quality steaks and wines in a romantic ambience. Satine is a South Beach-inspired nightspot which will be the ultimate place to be seen as it will serve as the hotspot for glamour, fashion and energy. The specialty here is international cuisine with fine wines in a dramatic environment inclusive of a terrace overlooking the ocean.
Splash Poolside Grille and Bar offers poolside service by the infinity-edge pool with a trademark see-through bottom and waterfalls falling into the 240-foot lagoon-style pool below. Additionally, there are poolside cabanas with Internet and telephone access. The resort also features an upscale café, lobby lounge, coffee shop, 24-hour room service and a Kosher kitchen. Additionally, The Diplomat Country Club features the Royal Palm, an elegant dining room serving Continental cuisine; Links Grill, a traditional and casual setting with an 180-dgree view of the golf course, and The Tack Room, a refreshing afternoon bar.
Economic Impact of New Resort
The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa as the largest hotel and convention center to emerge recently in the United States is also spearheading economic development in Hollywood, FL, on the longest contiguous beachfront in Broward and Dade counties. The region's business leaders are counting on the 1,000-room resort hotel and adjacent 209,000-square-foot Convention Center to greatly enhance the appeal of this playground on the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway as the next real estate boom market. The resort's soft opening immediately creates up to 1,200 jobs. An additional 250 will be created when a high-end retail and restaurant complex is in full operation. The economic impact of the Convention Center will have an immediate trickle down effect into the local economy.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com or contact Starwood's new, toll-free media hotline at 866-4-STAR-PR or 866-478-2777 for photography or additional information.
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