Starwood’s three-hotel complex in Muscat announced nearly two years ago is still in the design phase, the operator has confirmed.
In January 2011 it was announced that the InterContinental Muscat would be demolished to make way for Starwood’s W, Westin and Element hotels.
The 250-room W Hotel was set to be the first property in the three-hotel complex to be built on the grounds of the current site, while the existing InterContinental continues to operate.
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After the launch of the W, the InterContinental Muscat will be knocked down and replaced with the 350-room Westin and a 100-key extended-stay Element property.
However, in a statement to Hotelier Middle East, Starwood SVP, regional director, Middle East Guido De Wilde said the W was still being designed.
“W Muscat is currently in its design phase and construction will begin once this has been finalised,” said De Wilde.
Media reports at the time of the announcement said the W was slated to open in 2013, but De Wilde clarified that the property is “scheduled to open in 2015”.
The three hotels form part of a four-year redevelopment plan in partnership with Omran, the government arm responsible for delivery and managing major tourism projects.
The schedule to open the W first, while the InterContinental still operates, was designed after consultation with Omran, which wished to avert disruption to the market by taking out rooms and then flooding it with 700 new keys at one time.
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