WITH less than six months left to go before the unveiling of the first hotel complex on the Dubai Marina, to be named Grosvenor House West Marina Beach, Dubai by Le Meridien, new records of product and service excellence in the hospitality sector are set to be created.
According to Pam Wilby, the general manager entrusted to turn vision to 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.
Like this new neighbourhood, earmarked to house more than 10,000 people within a couple of years, the hotel complex, says Wilby, will fast become the ‘place to be’ when it opens in 2005. She said, “I make no bones when I say that Grosvenor House will create new dimensions in the industry, not just because of its stunning interiors but also in the quality and style of service.”
Wilby is also at the helm of the nearby Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa. This property that has an envious track record of repeat guests under the guise of ‘Royal Ambassadors’, a denomination that Wilby and her court bestowed on frequent guests, many of whom carry business cards to that effect. “Our Ambassadors ‘sell’ our hotel, not because they have to, but because they want to.”
While success reigns on the beach, she explained the essence and individuality of Grosvenor House. “From the foundations up, the stunning hotel will be custom-designed to reflect the essence of Arabia fused with the very latest in technology, design and luxury. But just as the property design and construction will set new benchmarks, so will the staff’s commitment to service at every level,” she says. “The established five-star certification will not do justice to this project, so from the outset, HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates airline and president of Dubai Civil Aviation, has driven our objectives on course to break barriers. The grand-deluxe denomination fits our vision perfectly,” assures Wilby.