Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide plans to build three new aloft brand hotels, in Beijing, Bangkok, and Sydney. The aloft brand has loft-style rooms with nine-foot ceilings, oversized windows, and large bathrooms with extra-large walk-in showers. Technical amenities include wireless internet access, plug & play connectivity for PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players, and laptops, linking these devices to a large flat panel HDTV ready screen. The hotels will feature shared spaces including a communal lobby area and bar, fitness centers, swimming pool, and a 24-hour one-stop food and beverage area.
The aloft Bangkok will be located on Sukhumvit road and is scheduled to open in 2010 as part of a 31-story mixed use development. The 308 room facility will contain over 180 square meters of meeting space, along with a spa, full-service restaurant and bar, a fitness center, and an indoor swimming pool.
The 200 room aloft Beijing will be part of an integrated mixed use complex in the Haidan district, a major information technology hub close to major universities and research institutes. The complex will include office and residential buildings as well as the Four Points by Sheraton Beijing. The hotel will feature 360 square meters of meeting space, a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, and three restaurants.
The Sydney location for aloft will be within a mile of Sydney International Airport. The aloft Sydney Airport will have 161 guest rooms, meeting space, a self-service food and beverage pantry, and a grab and go food, snack, and beverage area.
“Bangkok is one of Asia’s most important economic and lifestyle centers, with its many modern cafes, markets and entertainment options,” said Ross Klein, President, Starwood Luxury Brands Group and aloft hotels. “Our mission with aloft is to offer a stylish lodging alternative to travelers around the world. With the addition of aloft Bangkok, now there’s a fun new way to play and stay in the ‘Venice of the East.'”
“aloft has the distinction of being the most successful global brand launch in the industry with over 50 contracts signed in the first year of its introduction,” commented Miguel Ko, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific. “We have worked closely with key developers and guests across Asia Pacific to customize our prototype and signature features specifically for this market, to create an efficient product that guests will love. We are excited to be introducing aloft to Asia Pacific and are looking forward to introducing more aloft hotels to other cities in the near future.”
