Now known as JW Marriott Marco Beach Resort, the property is undergoing a $320 million renovation that began in summer 2015. Construction of the new Lanai Tower, which will include a 12,000-sq. ft. indoor entertainment center, 94 adults-only rooms and over 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, will be complete by October 2017, and the property will host an official grand opening in November 2017.
As of January 1, the Marco Island (Fla.) Marriott officially re-branded as the luxury-tier JW Marriott Marco Beach Resort, the Naples (Fla.) Daily News reported.
“To tell you that we’re excited would be a true understatement,” General Manager Rick Medwedeff said. “We want to define and establish what luxury is.”
C&RB featured the property as its cover story in 2006.
The $320 million renovation began summer 2015 when the Marriott closed its doors for three months to complete the first phase of the project: demolition of its existing meeting space. The property re-opened August 1, 2015, but the construction of the new Lanai Tower, the epicenter of the project, has been ongoing, with a final completion date of late October 2017, the Daily News reported.
The new tower will include a 12,000-sq. ft., state-of-the-art indoor entertainment center, 94 adults-only rooms and over 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with up to 24-foot ceilings and extensive views of the Gulf of Mexico, the Daily News reported.
“We [are] the only beachfront JW Marriott Hotel in the continental United States,” Medwedeff said.
The Lanai Tower will also feature an infinity-edge rooftop pool, a restaurant and a bar, the Daily News reported.
“The bar will be in the middle of the entertainment center, and it will focus on craft beer,” said Charles Albanos, Director of Food and Beverage. “We wanted to do something different from our other bars, so it’s really exciting, and I’m looking forward to working with local breweries.”
In addition to the new amenities, all of the hotel’s existing amenities received face-lifts, the most recent of which was the spa, which just re-opened this fall after two months of closure, the Daily News reported.
“We know we will have a savvier spa customer,” said Paul Nunez, director of The Spa. “High expectations are something we live with now. Let’s just say the expectation level goes up.”
The newly renovated spa now features a whirlpool, hot and cold plunge pools, a steam room, sauna and much more. It’s also one of only two “SPA by JW” concept spas in the continental United States, Medwedeff said, which is yet another draw for guests, the Daily News reported.
“[We trained staff] on how you hand something to a person,” Medwedeff said, demonstrating the JW Marriott’s signature way of using both hands to deliver an item. The staff also received posture training, he said.
“[The goal] is to assess what the needs of a guest are before they ask and, more importantly, act on it before they ask,” he said. “It’s that level of focus that our brand has on guest service.”
Upon completion in 2017, the property will have a total of 810 guestrooms and suites across three towers, more than 800 employees, nine eateries, five pools and two golf courses. The JW Marriott will host an official grand opening ceremony in November 2017, the Daily News reported.
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