It might be one of the quietest hotel openings of the year in the Caribbean — but it’s also one of the most significant. 

While it’s somehow managed to fly under the radar, Marriott is set to debut its JW Marriott brand at the former Westin Dawn Beach resort in St Maarten as early as next month, with the official name the Jw Marriott Sint Maarten Beach Resort. 

Marriott International’s Web site shows a March 2024 opening date for the resort. The hotel is now bookable for stays beginning March 7 and has an active Facebook page. 

When it opens, it will be a significant new brand for the island, which has few major international brands. It also opens up St Maarten to the massive global portfolio of Marriott Bonvoy members who can book stays at the resort using loyalty points. 

Right now, bookable rooms include deluxe king rooms and deluxe oceanfront rooms, with rates starting around $832 per night. 

The hotel will have five dining concepts, including an all-day lobby bar and restaurant called Opal; a deli-style eatery called Carambola; and a fine-dining restaurant called Liguria, which will feature Mediterranean food. That’s along with two more bars, both poolside. 

The JW will also have a spa called Hibiscus and a fitness center, along with other amenities like a pool, a hot tub and 24-hour room service. 

The former Westin Dawn Beach shuttered after Hurricane Irma in 2017; since the storm, it has been open in fits and starts with access largely limited to those who had owned timeshares at the resort.  

The JW Marriott move had been rumored as early as the summer of 2022, but there had been little to no information on the property in the interim. 

It wasn’t until this week that Marriott officially announced the resort’s debut as part of its “anticipated luxury openings in 2024” in the Caribbean-Mexico region. 

You can find more at the JW Marriott Sint Maarten Beach Resort.