Hotel & HospitalityPhil Bartsch AND Lindsay SaundersFri 17 Jul 26
Marriott, M Property Ink Westin Hotel Deal for Surfers Skyscraper
Marriott International will bring its Westin brand to the Gold Coast after inking a deal with M Property for the developer’s 42-storey Surfers Paradise highrise.
The 138-key Westin will occupy levels 6 to 25 and is expected to open when the tower at 3321 Surfers Paradise Boulevard completes in the latter stages of 2029.
The Westin Gold Coast will be managed by La Vie Hotels & Resorts under a franchise agreement with Marriott.
The deal adds another international hotel brand to the Gold Coast’s expanding accommodation pipeline as the city prepares for continued tourism growth ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The hotel will comprise 115 guestrooms and 23 suites, with views across the Pacific Ocean and Gold Coast hinterland.
Facilities will include a restaurant and bar, conference and meeting spaces, an infinity pool and pool bar, fitness centre and Heavenly Spa by Westin.
The signing of the hotel deal follows the filing of revised plans in June for the 849sq m site at 3321-3323 Surfers Paradise Boulevard.
Under the reworked scheme, M Property is seeking to increase the approved tower height from 44 to 48 storeys, delivering 154 short-term hotel studio suites, 40 residential apartments ranging from two to four bedrooms, and a 53sq m food and drink outlet.
Hinting at the Westin deal, the change application noted: “The proposed development will contribute to the tourism offering to the city including a new 5-star hotel in a centrally located position”.
The application said dedicated hotel accommodation floors would span levels 8 to 25 of the proposed tower under the revised design by Cottee Parker Architects.
Significantly, the tower height has been increased as a result of the removal of four basement levels “to address construction feasibility challenges, particularly those related to extensive excavation work”.
As a result, the podium has been expanded to seven levels—including a mezzanine—to maintain the project’s approved carparking provisions while “simplifying the construction process and improving overall deliverability”.
To accommodate the redesign of the podium for parking, the development's communal recreation spaces—including a swimming pool—an ancillary restaurant and function rooms that were previously approved for level 1 have been relocated and lifted to levels 6 and 7.
Cascading greenery and curved perforated screening with integrated LED lighting to provide “visual interest and movement” have been incorporated into the design of the podium facade to mitigate the visual bulk of the larger above-ground parking structure.
Gold Coast ‘a natural fit’
Marriott International director of hotel development for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Tristan Cooper said the Gold Coast was a natural fit for the wellness-focused brand.
He said Marriott already operated two resorts on the Gold Coast— the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa (formerly the Surfers Paradise Marriott) and the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast—and had a further four properties in its development pipeline.
M Property said securing the Westin brand was a milestone for the project and aligned with its vision to deliver a premium hospitality destination for the Gold Coast.
La Vie Hotels & Resorts chief executive Jerry Xu said the appointment was a significant milestone for the hotel management company as it continued to expand its presence across the Asia-Pacific region.
He said the project reflected the company’s growth as an independent hotel management platform and would establish a new benchmark for hospitality on the Gold Coast.
