Starwood loses its only non-gaming hotel in Macau

Jun 10, 2014 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc will stop managing what is now the Westin Resort Macau starting June 21. The hotel management company and the owner of the Coloane property have announced that the licence agreement “will cease on June 21, 2014 when it expires”.

The 208-room hotel has been operating under the Westin brand since 1993. It is one of the few five-star properties in Macau with no casino in its facilities or surrounding area.

The Starwood group also manages the Sheraton Macao Hotel at casino resort Sands Cotai Central. Featuring two towers with a total of approximately 3,900 rooms, Sheraton Macao Hotel is the largest hotel in the city and the largest Sheraton hotel in the world.

Next year, Starwood will introduce its St. Regis brand to the Macau market. A St. Regis branded-hotel and mixed-use tower at Sands Cotai Central is scheduled to open on October 1, 2015, according to Starwood’s website. The tower, Sands Cotai Central’s fourth, is currently under construction.

A few years ago, Starwood had plans to launch a W-branded hotel in Macau at casino resort Studio City, but an investor dispute stalled the development. Macau casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd meanwhile took a controlling interest in the project in 2011. The development is now scheduled to open in mid-2015, but no details about its hotels have been announced.

Approached by GGRAsia, Starwood did not comment on its plans for the Macau market. The company’s portfolio features several international brands: Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Le Méridien, Element and Aloft.

Artyzen Hospitality Group Ltd, the hotel management arm of Hong Kong-based conglomerate Shun Tak Holdings Ltd, may take over the management of the Westin Resort Macau after June 21 and rebrand the property.

In the official website of the Macau Government Tourist Office on Tuesday the property already showed up as Grand Coloane Beach Resort. Artyzen had filed to register several trademarks, including Grand Coloane Beach Resort, Coloane Beach Resort Macau and Macau Golf & Country Club Resort, according to applications seen by GGRAsia in Macau’s Official Gazette.

Executives at Artyzen were not available for comment. In Macau, the company is already managing the Grand Lapa Hotel since February 1. The property was previously managed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

Shun Tak, managed by Pansy Ho Chiu King, has a stake in the Westin Resort Macau and the neighbouring Macau Golf and Country Club on Coloane, held through Sociedade de Turismo e Desenvolvimento Insular SARL (STDI).

Ms Ho is co-chairperson and executive director of MGM China Holdings Ltd, one of Macau’s casino operators.

STDI is a venture between Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau SA (STDM), the majority shareholder, Shun Tak and Hong Kong’s Harilela Group. STDM is the flagship company of gaming tycoon Stanley Ho Hung Sun.

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