Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Florida's 408-key W South Beach Hotel & Residences Appoints Samantha Spurgeon as Director of Sales and Marketing
MIAMI BEACH, FL – May 31, 2013 – W South Beach Hotel & Residences announced today the appointment of Samantha Spurgeon as Director of Sales and Marketing. Spurgeon will leverage her more than 20 years of international experience with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, including properties in the St. Regis, Le Meridien, Westin and W Hotels brand portfolios, to lead Sales and Marketing strategies for the luxury hotel that has garnered international attention since opening in July 2009.
Spurgeon joins W South Beach from the Westin Maui Resort & Spa and Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas where she served as Director of Sales and Marketing. During her tenure in this dual-property role, she was responsible for strategy development and execution as it pertained to group, business and leisure revenue, as well as additional streams from food and beverage, catering and the spa. Additionally, Spurgeon oversaw public relations activity, managed through her Director of Public Relations, and worked closely with the Director of Leisure Sales to enhance overall occupancy and ADR.
Prior to joining Westin, Spurgeon lead sales and marketing initiatives for W Los Angeles – Westwood for three years. Overseeing a team of eleven, including eight sales managers covering the entertainment, corporate, leisure, group and catering areas, Spurgeon reorganized the all-suite hotel’s strategies and drove a 17% increase in occupancy and a $3.5 million increase in room revenue.
Spurgeon spent two years as the National Account Manager for group and incentive travel with Rank Hotels Limited in London before joining Starwood in 1992. As a Sales Manager at Le Meridien Grosvenor House, Park Lane London, her focus remained on incentive and group travel; she was later named as Director of Incentive and Group Sales for the property. Spurgeon’s career continued to blossom as she moved on to become the Director of Leisure Sales for the incentive and conference markets with Le Meridien Deluxe Hotels London, serving Grosvenor House, Piccadilly and Waldorf.
In 1998, Spurgeon joined the corporate team at Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts in New York as Director of Sales for the incentive and conference markets. After five years in the role, she moved back to the property level as the opening Director of Sales and Marketing for St. Regis Resort Temenos Anguilla, and then as the Area Director of Sales and Marketing for St. Regis Bora Bora, Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Tahiti, and Sheraton Moorea.
Spurgeon received her Higher National Diploma in Business Studies from the Thames Valley University in London. She is currently an active member of the Society of Incentive Travel Executives and Meeting Professionals International.
Since opening in 2009, W South Beach has become a permanent fixture in the luxury market synonymous with glamour and style worldwide, winning several prestigious industry awards and landing spots in coveted travel lists along the way, including Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Member Favorite Resort – Best Beach Resort 2013, U.S. News & World Report – Best Hotels in Miami Beach 2013, AAA’s Four Diamond Award 2012, Travel + Leisure’s Design Awards 2011, Travel + Leisure’s 500 World’s Best Hotels 2011, Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List 2010, Elite Traveler’s Top Suites 2010 and Lodging Hospitality’s 2010 Design Award, among others.
About W South Beach Hotel & Residences W South Beach Hotel & Residences opened its doors July 2009. This 408-unit condo hotel features magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean from every room and unique amenities such as WALL ultra-lounge, Living Room and Grove. With Bliss Spa and an impressive list of restaurant partners including celebrity-magnet Mr Chow and The Dutch, W South Beach solidifies its spot as the choice destination hotel for both W's jet set guests and Miami's most fashionable locals. The property teamed with some of the most innovative designers and artists including Anna Busta of Studio B Design, conceptual landscape designer Paula Hayes, legendary photographer Danny Clinch and architectural firms Costas Kondylis and NBWW & Associates. For more information, please visit www.wsouthbeach.com.
Contact: Annelisa Sichel Assistant Account Executive H A R R I S O N & S H R I F T M AN P. 305.534.0008 | F. 305.534.0158 | C. 813.431.6024 1680 MERIDIAN AVENUE | SUITE 300 | MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139