W® Hotels Makes Landmark Entry into
North Africa with W Marrakech
NEW YORK - February 20, 2008 - Hot in pursuit of the world�s most intriguing
destinations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT)
today announced the introduction of its W brand to North Africa with plans
to debut a new hotel and residence property in Marrakech, Morocco. Owned
by Dilam Hotel Development S.A.S., W Marrakech and The Residences at W
Marrakech will include a 150-room hotel and 68 whole-ownership villa residences
as part of a luxurious, mixed-use development. The newly constructed property
is scheduled to open in mid 2010 in a prime location at the heart of the
city�s emerging luxury hotel district.
"W continues to extend beyond the boundaries of everyday travel, offering
a magical mix of sophisticated destinations and sublime design,� said Ross
Klein, President of Starwood�s Luxury Brands Group. �W Marrakech will offer
exclusivity, escape, and indulgence for travelers in the bustling landscape
of one of Africa�s most dynamic cities. From Marrakech to Milan, Barcelona
to Beijing, Hoboken to Hong Kong, W is going global as the influential
and innovative lifestyle authority."
A stimulating mix of sights, sounds, and historical treasures await
visitors to the mystical city of Marrakech. The destination is home to
the largest traditional market in Morocco as well as the busiest square
in all of Africa, teeming with musicians, dancers, story-tellers, acrobats
and food vendors. W Marrakech is just minutes from the Medina, the city�s
historical center where guests and resident owners can sample regional
cuisine, shop for traditional crafts and explore countless museums, palaces
and gardens.
W Marrakech will be a core element of the Al Maaden Resort development
and will overlook an 18-hole championship golf course. The hotel�s 150
rooms will include 14 W Suites, three WOW Suites, and an Extreme WOW Suite,
all decorated in the W signature style including the W bed, a luxurious
ensemble featuring a feather-top mattress, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton
sheets and goose-down comforter.
Al Maaden Resort development
Situated 10 minuets from the centre of Marrakech, Al Maaden is a uniquely
landscaped, luxury gated residential resort. The development covers 190
hectares and consists of 4 medinas containing 350 Ryads, 3 5-star hotels
and 141 luxury villas bordering an 18 hole golf course with stunning views
of the Atlas Mountains.
Designed by a team of world-class architects led by Didier Le Fort Al
Maaden is set to become a showcase for the art of modern living. The ryads
and villas are designed to be resolutely modern whilst taking their inspiration
from classic Moroccan architecture, materials and craftsmanship.
The golf course occupies a privileged location at the heart of the residential
development with the medinas, villas, hotels, shops and sports facilities
radiating around it.
Major international hotel chains will build hotels based on a variety
of concepts: a trendy modern hotel, a grand luxury hotel and a boutique
hotel.
Superb facilities and the highest level of services are the other elements
that define this unique site. In addition to extending hotel services to
the villas, Al Maaden offers a rental management service to owners wishing
to rent their properties either short or long term.
The development will include:
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2 to 4 bedroom ryads based on 5 architectural plans.
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3 to 5 bedroom villas based on 8 architectural plans.
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A choice of plots for the villas.
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Each property will have its own swimming pool and private garden.
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18-hole golf course.
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Three 5 star hotels including famous brands such as W Starwood.
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An estate office complex.
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An area for amenities and boutique shopping.
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Full property management service available.
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Extensive resort facilities.
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The vibrant hotel will feature all of W�s signature comforts, including
its Living Room experience where guests can socialize while sipping cocktails,
two exclusive restaurants, a destination bar as well as a unique poolside
bar. W Marrakech will also offer travelers approximately 1,000 square meters
of meeting space, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center , luxury spa
and gift shop. Villa residents will enjoy access to services and amenities
available to hotel guests.
�Marking the entry of the W brand in North Africa, W Marrakech will
provide a unique alternative for our customers, inviting them to discover
one of the most charismatic destinations in the world,� said Roeland Vos,
President of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East.
�I would like to thank Dilam Hotel Development S.A.S. for the trust they
have shown in Starwood and the W brand.�
�Dilam Hotel Development S.A.S. is very excited to bring the W brand
to Morocco for a project that is sure to add a new level of excitement,
ambiance and design to compliment the vibrancy and character of Marrakech,�
said Michael Barry, Principal of Dilim Hotel Development S.A.S.
About Dilam Hotel Development S.A.S.
W Marrakech is being developed by DILAM HOTEL DEVELOPMENT S.A.S., an
international joint venture of three highly respected development companies:
Ironstate Development Company based in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA; Logan
International based in Paris, France; and Alliance Group based in Marrakech,
Morocco. Collectively, the joint venture partners have developed scores
of large scale mixed use projects including hospitality, residences, commercial
offices, retail centers and golf and recreational projects. Together the
partners bring a world of experience in hotel planning, construction and
finance. Ironstate Development Company is the developer owner of the W
Hoboken located on the Hudson River directly across from New York City.
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 and design to music and art
and everything in between. The W brand�s first residential property, W
Dallas-Victory, opened in June of 2006, and soon thereafter was named a
Forbes Magazine �Top Business Hotel.� In the United States, W Hotels have
been announced in Austin, Downtown Atlanta, Midtown Atlanta, Buckhead,
Fort Lauderdale, Hoboken, Hollywood, Huntington Beach, Minneapolis, Downtown
New York, Philadelphia, Scottsdale, South Beach, and Washington, D.C. In
Europe, W Hotels have been announced in Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul, Milan
and St. Petersburg. In Asia, W has announced properties in Bangkok, Guangzhou,
Hong Kong, Macao-Studio City, Shanghai and Yokohama. In Latin America,
W has announced a hotel in Santiago and in the Middle East, W has announced
properties in Amman, Doha, Dubai-Festival City and Dubai-The Palm. W�s
first Retreat & Spa, W Maldives, opened in September of 2006. In 2007,
W Maldives received the prestigious Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best
Resort. W has plans to open Retreat & Spa hotels in Bali, Koh Samui,
Vieques and Verbier, the latter of which will serve as the W brand�s first
ski retreat. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one
of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately
900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its
owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner,
operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally
renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®,
Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, AloftSM
and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc.,
one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval
ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com/pressclub.
This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements
are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events
to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking
statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail
in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we
believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are
based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations
will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ.
We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |