St. Regis Expands Polo Presence to New Markets; Pattaya Next

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, continues to celebrate its commitment to the international sport of polo, participating in spirited polo matches and hosting marquee events for the first time in Abu Dhabi and China, while also revisiting Thailand, Singapore and Argentina.

Following the brand's recent debut in the Middle East, a St. Regis team played an exhilarating match at Pink Polo in Abu Dhabi, held at The Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club on 10 November 2012.

In Thailand, the St. Regis Ladies' team will participate in the Queen Sirikit St. Regis Pink Polo match in Pattaya on 17 November at the Thai Polo Club.

Only last month, the St. Regis USA Team played at the Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament, marking the brand's first foray into polo in China, and St. Regis returned to the Singapore Polo Club in September this year as the official hotel sponsor for the Singapore Open.

"St. Regis has become a leader in the world of polo, and it is exciting to see our programming expand to new vibrant destinations such as Abu Dhabi and China, two regions of significant growth for the brand," said Paul James, Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to furthering St. Regis' polo legacy and inviting guests to discover remarkable polo experiences around the world."

St. Regis has long been associated with the world of polo, beginning at the turn of the 20th century when polo matches on Manhattan's Governors Island were the highlight of the New York social calendar and St. Regis' founding family, the Astors, were preeminent patrons of the sport. Today, St. Regis continues to share its passion for the 'Sport of Kings', providing guests with access to one-off polo experiences throughout the year.

The most recent polo programme was St. Regis' first polo event in Abu Dhabi which took place between the 8th and 10th of November, where a St. Regis team played in the Pink Polo match at Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, supporting one of the most important breast cancer awareness campaigns in the Middle East. Team members and guests met world-renowned Argentinean polo player and St. Regis Connoisseur, Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras during the run-up to the match. Nacho also hosted a private polo experience for Starwood Preferred Guest members at the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club followed by a lunch hosted at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi as a part of the SPG Moments program, which offers members a series of auctions for exclusive and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Taking place later this month, the St. Regis Ladies' team will participate in the Queen Sirikit St. Regis Pink Polo match in Pattaya, Thailand on 17 November at the Thai Polo Club. Invited VIP guests will enjoy St. Regis rituals including Afternoon Tea and St. Regis signature Bloody Mary cocktails.

St Regis continues to support the highest level of polo played anywhere in the world in November with its sponsorship of the Most Valuable Player award at the 119th Hurlingham Open in Buenos Aires.

Earlier this year, St. Regis returned to the Singapore Polo Club as the official hotel sponsor for the Singapore Open, which took place 4-9 September. During the tournament, St. Regis hosted an exclusive Midnight Supper evening to celebrate the polo festivities as well as a St. Regis Polo Sunday Brunch at The St. Regis Singapore.

Between 18-23 September, the brand participated in the much awaited and highly competitive Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament as team USA's sponsor as well as the official hotel partner for the tournament, hosted at Tang Polo Club in Beijing. The international polo teams competing in the tournament included Royal Salute China, King Power Thailand, Ratio England, Coco Republic Australia and St. Regis USA. Over 300 VIP guests enjoyed watching the matches from the St. Regis VIP marquee hosted by The St. Regis Beijing.

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