Starwood signs Luxury Collection Hotel in Ajman

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has signed a new Luxury Collection hotel in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. The new-build, 207-room property is expected to open in 2012.

The Middle East plays a key role in Starwood’s global expansion plans, with nearly 20 new hotels to open in the region by 2012. Of these hotels, 75% are in the Gulf, which is a priority market for the future growth of Starwood.

“Our presence in the region dates back to our first Sheraton in Kuwait in 1966,” said Roeland Vos, President, Europe, Africa & Middle East, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Today, we have an established footprint of 49 properties across 11 countries, and we look forward to continuing to build our presence with best-in-class hotels like The Luxury Collection Hotel in Ajman.”

Along with The Luxury Collection, each of Starwood’s brands continue to grow in the region. W Hotels marked its entry into the Middle East with the recent opening of the W Doha Hotel & Residences.

St. Regis is also developing hotels in Doha, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. And the Le Méridien brand, which Starwood acquired in 2005, continues to grow its established presence of 21 hotels in the Middle East with a new hotel scheduled to open in Doha in 2011.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is growing in both established and emerging markets with new hotels and important renovations such as the Sheraton Oman. This hotel is undergoing a $57 million renovation and is set to reopen in December. Westin is expected to open new properties in Abu Dhabi and Aqaba, Jordan by 2012. These new hotels build on the momentum of the 2008 opening of the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi.

Four Points by Sheraton is slated to open hotels in Doha, Tripoli, Tartous (Syria), Jeddah and Dhahran in the next three years. This year, the Aloft brand will open its first hotel in the region with the Aloft Abu Dhabi. And Starwood’s Element, which also launched in 2008, will soon expand with the recent signing of a new hotel in Abu Dhabi.

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