As ground is broken at the first hotel complex on the Dubai Marina, to be named Grosvenor House Hotel and Apartments, West Marina Beach Resort by Le Meridien, the word on the streets of Dubai is that new records of product and service excellence in the hospitality sector are set to be broken too.
According to Pam Wilby, the general manager entrusted to turn vision into reality, the grand deluxe Grosvenor House is set to be the exclusive address in the upcoming Dubai Marina, echoing the global standing of its London-based namesake. The Marina is earmarked to house more than 10,000 people within a couple of years. Wilby says the hotel complex will fast become the "place to be", when it opens in late 2004. "Grosvenor House, Dubai will create new dimensions in the industry, not just because of the stunning interiors, but also in the quality and style of service," she stated. Wilby is also the general manager of the nearby Le Royal Meridian Beach Resort & Spa. This property already has an envious track record of repeat guests under the guise of Royal Ambassadors, a denomination that Wilby and her team bestow on frequent guests, many of whom carry resort business cards to that effect. While success reigns on the beach, Wilby explains the essence and individuality of Grosvenor House. "From the foundation up, the hotel will be custom-designed to reflect the essence of Arabia fused with the very latest in technology, design and luxury." "Just as the property design and construction will set a new benchmark, so will the staff's commitment to service at every level. The established five-star certification will not do justice to this project, so from the outset, the owner has set our objectives to break barriers. The grand deluxe denomination fits our vision perfectly," Wilby declared. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Emirates Group and president of Dubai Civil Aviation, is the man behind the pioneering, multi-use, 45-storey complex, named Grosvenor House, Dubai, after the landmark Le Meridien Grosvenor House in Park Lane in London, one of the UK capital's most famous landmarks. "It is fitting that Sheikh Ahmed is behind the first hotel on the Marina," commented Ali Al Mubarak Al Soori, head of the chairman's office and facilities management at Emirates Airline and the owner's representative of the Grosvenor House project.