Starwood Opens Westin Pune Koregaon Park

Starwood has opened the Westin Pune Koregaon Park – the first of six new Westin Hotels to open in India over the next three years and the brand’s 25th Hotel in Asia Pacific. The hotel is illustrative of Starwood’s overall growth in India with 24 existing hotels and plans to grow its footprint by 60% by 2012.

The opening of The Westin Pune Koregaon Park is the second Westin in India and follows The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort and Spa that opened in December 2007. The hotel offers 277 guest rooms and suites as well as the Westin Executive Club where guests have access to an open-air terrace. There are seven meeting rooms and one ballroom with 11,302 square feet of meeting and function space with state-of-the-art facilities. The hotel features three restaurants including Seasonal Tastes, the all-day dining restaurant, and two specialty restaurant offering Italian and Indian cuisine. The hotel also features a WestinWORKOUT fitness centre, an outdoor pool and the Heavenly Spa by Westin.

“As home to the world’s fastest growing population, India represents a significant opportunity for Starwood and our development partners,” said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

India makes up 21% of the world’s incremental growth, and by 2016, its population is expected to be larger than that of Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the United States combined.

“Coinciding with its population boom is the rise of India’s middle class, which is driving domestic tourism growth. In this decade, disposable income in India has grown about 10 percent annually, and much of that is being spent on travel,” added van Paasschen. “By working to further establish relationships with travelers in this critical, high-growth market today, we are ensuring the success of Starwood tomorrow.”

In 2009, Starwood opened the Four Points by Sheraton brand in Mumbai and Jaipur. And looking ahead to 2010, Starwood will launch its Aloft brand in India, opening the first three of its six hotels in the pipeline.

While India is a growth powerhouse in and of itself, when combined with China, the implications for Starwood are even farther reaching.

“The potential numbers of new international travelers from India and China are staggering,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood. “When you take a look at India and China, you have 40% of the world’s population, and between them, they are averaging 8% growth in GDP. Furthermore, by 2015, 400 million Chinese and Indians will have sufficient incomes to travel abroad – as a point of perspective that is seven times the number of international travelers who visited the United States last year.”

Five Other Westin Hotels to Open in India by 2012

The 269 room Westin Mumbai Garden City is located on the Western Express Highway, minutes from the Mumbai International Airport and the Film City. Overlooking the Goregaon Reserve, the hotel features Westin’s signature Heavenly Spa, WestinWORKOUT fitness centre and an outdoor pool. It has many distinctive culinary experiences, including an all-day- dining, Seasonal Tastes, a lounge bar, a poolside bar and restaurant, an Indian specialty restaurant and an Italian restaurant. With more than 9,688 square feet of refined meeting and function space and nine meeting rooms, the hotel provides for flexibility and choice with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace is located in Raheja Mindspace IT Park, which is the new central business district also known as “Cyberabad” or “Silicon Valley” of India. The hotel features 428 guest rooms and suites, with three restaurants – “Taste” offering all-day-dining and the other two specialty restaurants offering Indian and Italian cuisines. There is also a deli featuring Daily Treats and an on-site lounge and bar. Along with WestinWORKOUT fitness centre, outdoor pool and Heavenly Spa by Westin, there is also a 14,000 square feet of refined space for energized meetings, conferences, weddings or gala social events.

The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon Hotel will feature 311 rooms, five restaurants, 17,500 square feet of meeting space, a 16,000 square foot health and spa centre, as well as upscale retail outlets. Located strategically in Gurgaon, the emerging central business district of New Delhi, the hotel will provide travellers easy access to key convention and commercial offices.

The Westin Jaipur Infotech City is located in the capital of Rajasthan – one of India’s most beautiful and popular destinations. The hotel is part of the 320 hectare Vatika Infotech City development, featuring a retail mall, residential area, I.T. park and recreation centre. The hotel features 292 inviting guest rooms or villa suites, a full service business centre, wireless internet in all meeting rooms and public areas, nine flexible function rooms and more than 19,000 square feet of meetings space.

The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat is located in the capital of West Bengal, less than a kilometer from the proposed International Convention Centre. The 314-room hotel will feature three signature restaurants, an all-day-dining venue, and lounge bar and sports bar. The hotel will also feature over 6,500 square feet of meeting space and WestinWORKOUT fitness centre.

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