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Dubai's St. Regis, W and Westin to All Leave the Marriott Portfolio
Emily McNutt
Contributor
July 10, 2018
•
2 min read
Dubai's St. Regis, W and Westin to All Leave the Marriott Portfolio
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Dubai, a city known for its tall buildings, over-the-top spectacles and superlatives, is losing three Marriott properties — a St. Regis, W and Westin.
Marriott announced on Tuesday that as of July 31, 2018, The St. Regis Dubai, W Dubai Habtoor City and The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City will no longer be associated with Marriott International. According to a statement from Marriott, after that date, management of the three Dubai properties will be transferred from the world's largest hotel chain to the new owning company, Al Habtoor Group.
"These hotels will no longer be part of the St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin Hotels global brand portfolios," Marriott said in a statement. "This is a mutual decision reached amicably between the parties. The parties are working closely together to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for associates, clients and partners."
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Tuesday's announcement comes just more than a week after a similar announcement in which the St. Regis Dubai Polo Club would be leaving Marriott as of July 1, 2018.
In all, the three properties feature a total of 1,594 rooms, according to Gulf Business. Additionally, the three properties boast 18 restaurants and lounges, two spas and 34 meeting and banquet spaces.
Under the new Al Habtoor Group ownership, you'll no longer be able to take advantage of Starwood Preferred Guest or Marriott Rewards elite perks for your stays, nor will the hotels be part of the new unified Marriott loyalty program. Additionally, there will be no SPG or Marriott Rewards point-earning potential for stays at any of the three properties after July 31. If you have a stay booked after that date, you can give Starwood or Marriott a call to see what your options are.
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Al Habtoor City, which is home to the three properties, also features a tennis facility, theater, La Perle (a show) and now more than 1,500 rooms. Once Al Habtoor Group's takeover is complete, Marriott will no longer have a St. Regis or a W in the city — at one point, it had two St. Regis'. However, Dubai being St. Regis-less is not expected to last too long, as both a W and a St. Regis are expected to open on The Palm at some point in the not-too-distant future.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.