Starwood Reveals Expansion Plans, Fashion Appointment

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced plans to open 50 new hotels in its Europe, Africa and Middle East unit by 2012. The firm just opened the Sheraton Bratislava Hotel and is on track to add 13 more this year. The plans will build upon the existing 240 hotels in 55 nations in EAME. Following Bratislava, the company plans to open a Sheraton each in Batumi and Rhodes, Greece this Spring and the Sheraton Milan Malpensa this summer.

The plans include about $1 billion for a “new pipeline” of Sheraton locations throughout EMEA and enhancements to the existing hotels. Brand-wide enhancements include the Link@Sheraton with Microsoft, which enables guests to browse the Internet and check their emails.

The expansion will also include additional locations for other brands, with W set to open in London, St. Petersburg, Paris, Milan and Amman. Aloft Hotels will open its first European location this year, in Belgium, with Le Méridien to open in Oran, in Africa this year. Sheraton will also expand into Africa, with launches planned for Lagos, Nigeria and Tripoli, Libya. This follows The Luxury Collection’s debut in the Middle East with the conversion of the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai. The brand will continue to expand this summer with the impending opening of The Romanos in Greece, where Starwood also plans to open a new Westin resort. St. Regis is also set for expansion, with five new hotels set to open in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean during the next five years, including Mauritius, Cairo, Doha and two in Abu Dhabi.   

Sheraton Bratislava Hotel (image courtesy of Starwood)

Starwood also announced that Aloft Hotels is sponsoring “Live in the Vineyard” to help spotlight upcoming artists and bands. In its third year, “Live in the Vineyard” (www.liveinthevineyard.com) was created by Bobbii Hach-Jacobs and Claire Parr. The grassroots music festival held in California’s Napa Valley is set to occur in April, with a lineup that includes Train, Melissa Etheridge, Back Street Boys, Macy Gray, Tonic and Ryan Star. Select Aloft hotels will also host musical performances. Check www.liveatalofthotels.com for details.

Finally, the New York state-based company announced that Amanda Ross was hired as its first ever global fashion director. Ross will be a strategic fashion advisor with a specific focus on W. Ross will help develop industry relationships and find potential partners and collaborators. Ross has worked for Conde Nast and served as market director for Harper’s Bazaar, in addition to serving as a personal stylist.

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