Jonathan Heath Named GM of W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island
January 12, 2010 - W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, today announced the appointment of Jonathan Heath as General Manager of W Retreat & Spa - Vieques Island. Located eight miles off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico, W Vieques will open in March 2010 as the W brand's first Retreat in North America, boasting 136 guest rooms and a collection of first-class amenities.
Bringing more than 20 years of international hospitality experience to W Vieques, Heath joins the team from the Ace Hotel and Swim Club in Palm Springs, California where he oversaw the 180-room hotel as the opening general manager.
Heath began his career with the Hotel Intercontinental Sydney in Australia as an apprentice, commis, and demi chef before assuming the roles of chef de partie and sous chef and at Sydney's Sheraton on the Park hotel. He relocated to Bali, Indonesia in 1995 and began work as the executive chef and assistant manager of The Serai hotel, playing a major role in the daily operation of the property and spa, as well as creating guest programming, including an Indonesian cooking school.
In 1995, Heath was recruited for the general manager position at Mexico's Costa Careyes hotels, Tamarindo and Careyes, when both properties were re-launched under the General Hotel Management group portfolio. In this role, Heath focused on sales and marketing for the North American and European markets, managed the development of hotel amenities, and tracked annual budgeting.
Heath was named development manager of London's famed Soho House in 2001, where he oversaw the design, building, staffing, and opening of projects that included the Upperclass lounge for Virgin Atlantic, private members club, The Electric, and the Soho House in New York. He remained with the company until joining the Kor Hotel Group in 2005 as the corporate director of hotel operations. While at Kor, he managed properties that included The Jefferson in Washington, D.C., The Tides in Miami, Florida, and the Viceroy in Anguilla, British West Indies.
Heath transitioned to the general manager position of Kor's Viceroy hotel in Palm Springs in 2006 and was awarded the General Manager of the Year in 2007 by the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Desert Cities.
Heath holds a diploma in hotel management from The Hotel School in Sydney, Australia. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Indonesian.
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