The FINANCIAL — Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), announced on December 12 plans to debut a W Hotel in Amman, Jordan.
According to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Scheduled to open in 2011, this highly anticipated development is expected to become a vibrant destination in the heart of the captivating historic city of Amman while furthering the reach of the brand's growing international footprint. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) entered into an agreement with Saraya, a real estate development and asset management company investing worldwide in the travel and tourism industry, to develop the first W hotel in Amman as part of Saraya's new Headquarters. When it opens, the 280-room W Amman also plans to service additional luxury residences in the modern New Abdali Downtown. W Amman marks the brand's fourth hotel in the Middle East following the announcements of W Doha, W Dubai-Festival City, and W Dubai-The Palm.
"W continues to extend beyond the boundaries of everyday travel, offering a magical mix of enticing destinations and sublime design," said Ross Klein, President of Starwood's Luxury Brands Group. "As the Middle East continues to develop as a business and leisure destination, W is proud to offer a new kind of experience for visitors and the local community while providing our global guests with access to one the most fascinating cities in the Middle East. From Amman to Atlanta, San Juan to Shanghai, W is going global as the influential and innovative lifestyle authority."
"The Saraya Headquarters in Abdali will form a state of the art project that will cater to Saraya customers and partners," said Ali Kolaghassi, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saraya Holdings. "The uniqueness of the W brand will take our business to new horizons by introducing an innovative lifestyle and a distinguished luxury experience to Amman."
"It is an honor for us to expand our partnership with Saraya to operate the W Hotel in Amman. The Hotel will bring a new level of energy to the city. The W signature design and cosmopolitan ambience are a perfect fit with our vision for the project," said Roeland Vos, President Starwood Hotels and Resorts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. "The vision and the quality of the project development by Saraya will further enhance the exclusive positioning of W Amman in the city."
"Located in the Abdali New Downtown, W Amman will showcase the W brand's warmth, wit and whimsy as part of a modern development at the center of Amman, the capital city of Jordan. Strategically located adjacent to Amman's financial district, the hotel will offer unbeatable proximity to major governmental buildings including the Houses of Parliament, Palace of Justice, and the King Abdullah I Mosque." Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide reports.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announces, that while enjoying the modern conveniences of Abdali New Downtown, guests of W Amman will have access to the historically rich city center, which houses colorful, traditional markets teeming with gold treasures, the ancient Citadel, the Roman Theater and the King Hussein Mosque. Amman also serves as a convenient home base for excursions to the Roman ruins at Jarash and the ancient Arab city of Petra.
"The vibrant hotel will feature all of the W brand's signature comforts, including its Living Room experience where guests can socialize while sipping cocktails, an exclusive restaurant, destination bar, indoor and outdoor pools (WET) as well as a unique poolside bar. Visitors to W Amman will have access to more than 4,000 square feet of meeting space and an exclusive spa and SWEAT fitness center." Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide adds.
According to Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the Abdali Urban Regeneration project is the largest mixed-use development undertaken in the heart of Amman, consisting of residential apartments, office space, commercial and retail outlets as well as entertainment. Developed on almost five million square feet of land, the entire Abdali project totals more than 18 million square feet. Abdali will be the premium central business and residential district of Amman and will catapult the city of Amman into the 21st century, placing it on par with the most renowned cities of the world.
About W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 21 properties in the most vibrant cities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests with thoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants, bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design, comfort, and cultural influences from fashion to music to art and everything in between. W's first residential property, W Dallas-Victory, opened in June of 2006, and soon thereafter was named a Forbes Magazine "Top Business Hotel." W Hotels have been announced in Scottsdale (2008), Midtown Atlanta (2008), Fort Lauderdale (2008), Buckhead (2008), Hoboken (2008), Downtown Atlanta (2008), San Juan (2008), Downtown New York (2009), South Beach (2009), Hollywood (2009), Philadelphia (2009), Washington, D.C. (2009) and Austin (2010). Internationally, W has announced plans for hotels in Istanbul (2008), Doha (2008), Hong Kong (2008), St. Petersburg (2008), Santiago (2008), Athens (2009), Milan (2009), Dubai-Festival City (2009), Shanghai (2009), Barcelona (2009), Macao-Studio City (2010), Guangzhou (2010), Dubai-The Palm (2010), Yokohama (2011) and Bangkok (2011). W's first Retreat & Spa, W Maldives, opened in September of 2006 and in March of 2007, received the prestigious Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Resort. W has plans to open Retreat & Spa hotels in Vieques (2008), Koh Samui (2009), Bali (2009) and Verbier (2010), the latter of which will serve as W's first ski retreat. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.
About Saraya
Saraya, established in 2005, is a Real Estate Development and Asset Management Company investing in the travel and tourism industry. Saraya's vision is manifested in turning undiscovered natural, rich and unique locations into luxurious destinations. Saraya seeks to support the economic growth of the countries it invests in by developing projects that maximize shareholders' value and contribute to local communities' sustainable development. Through its investment subsidiaries, Saraya has invested in Saraya Aqaba project, currently being developed in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, Jordan. While other projects – Saraya Islands in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates; Saraya Dead Sea in the Dead Sea, Jordan; Saraya Bandar Jissah near Muscat in Oman; and Saraya Aktau on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan – are at various stages of development. Through strategic partnerships with public and private sectors, Saraya provides all facilities and services that a modern tourist city offers; including premium hotels, retail, entertainment, leisure and sport facilities, superb residential units while preserving the natural environment and local cultures. Saraya has introduced a bouquet of customized services to complement its world class destinations; granting all customers an unmatched and holistic experience. Saraya announced its first service, "Saraya Aviation", a Private Jet Charter Operation which is designed at servicing individuals as well as large corporations, banks and government officials in addition to visitors, tourists and businessmen. Saraya Aviation's fleet will grant short and long distance trips, taking off and landing from any destination in the world, and will commence operations in June 2008. In September 2007, Saraya announced its second elite service for its customers, "Saraya Realty", a fully owned subsidiary of Saraya. "Saraya Realty" will be the exclusive property selling, leasing and re-sales arm for all Saraya's luxurious destinations mainly targeting both end users and second-home owners through a variety of product packages tailored to meet their utmost satisfaction, hence offering customers and investors multiple options for investing their money in the most convenient manner while adding value to their investments.
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