According to Uwe Klaus, CEO of ArabellaSheraton Hotelmanagement GmbH, the managerial takeover of these two renowned German establishments represents a further important step towards extensive growth in the luxury-segment. �The declared objective of our company is the short and mid-term development of the Luxury Collection Hotels�-brand,� he commented. �In our opinion, the luxury segment offers an ideal opportunity for successful growth of our group.� The expansion in the five-star-plus area will become an additional pillar for the German joint venture company.
 

Few German hotels may look back on a history quite as rich as that of the �Hotel Elephant,� which was first officially documented in 1542. It was the social and cultural focus of Weimar at the close of the 17th century. Goethe, Liszt, J.S. Bach and Leo Tolstoy, to name but a few, were patrons of the �Elephant� and contributed to the fame of this unique establishment. Thomas Mann went as far as setting an immortal monument to it, in his famous book �Lotte in Weimar.� The hotel was completely renovated and reopened as a five-star-deluxe hotel in 1993.

Hotel Elephant Weimar

Few German hotels may look back on a history quite as rich as that of the �Hotel Elephant,� which was first officially documented in 1542. It was the social and cultural focus of Weimar at the close of the 17th century. Goethe, Liszt, J.S. Bach and Leo Tolstoy, to name but a few, were patrons of the �Elephant� and contributed to the fame of this unique establishment. Thomas Mann went as far as setting an immortal monument to it, in his famous book �Lotte in Weimar.� The hotel was completely renovated and reopened as a five-star-deluxe hotel in 1993.

It consists of 102 luxurious rooms and suites in the elegant Bauhaus-style, the cafe-bar �Franz Liszt� and the famous �Elephantenkeller.� The hotel offers five areas for functions and events, including a ballroom as well as a library. The hotel restaurant, �Anna Amalia� has already been honored many times and is known to be the best restaurant in Eastern Germany.

The hotel�s famous art-collection is certainly unique: original works of contemporary artists like Adamski, Bach, Fetting, Baselitz, etc. decorate not only the public areas of the hotel but also all rooms and suites.

Originally built as the residence of a Leipzig banker in 1770, the �Hotel Furstenhof� was one of the leading hotels of the city for over a century. After several years of restoration, it was recently reopened as a five-star-deluxe hotel. All of the 92 elegantly furnished rooms come with fax and PC connections. The extremely rare serpentine-stone, the so-called �marble of the Saxon kings,� which graces the �Serpentine Hall,� is a jewel in the crown of art-history. Four additional venues offer space for events with up to 100 participants. The �Restaurant Furstenhof� serves a delectable selection of international cuisine and regional dishes. A full-service spa and wellness area promises rest and recuperation through sauna, solarium, whirlpool and massage.

�The continued expansion of our joint venture with the Schorghuber Group is a sign of the solid success we have achieved together with ArabellaSheraton,� said Roeland Vos, President of the European Division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. �Starwood is fully committed into growing the presence of its brands in all geographical areas in Europe. These new management contracts in Germany are another step forward in that direction.�

ArabellaSheraton�s entry into the luxury-segment took place approximately 10 years ago with the ArabellaSheraton Grand Hotel Frankfurt and the ArabellaSheraton Golf Hotel Son Vida on Majorca, both Luxury Collection hotels. The Hotel President Wilson in Geneva began flying the Luxury Collection banner early this year, and a 2001 opening of the ArabellaSheraton Golf Hotel Western Cape, South Africa is planned. The group has targeted a 2002 opening of the Mardavall Spa & Resort on Majorca, another five-star addition to the Luxury Collection family.

�The takeover of the �Hotel Elephant� and the �Hotel Furstenhof� is an exceptional opportunity for us to develop our hotel presence in the north and east of Germany,� continued Uwe Klauss. �We will use this opportunity to further strengthen our position amongst national and international competition.�

With the management of the two hotels in Weimar and Leipzig, the ArabellaSheraton hotel group now operates a total of 23 hotels in Germany, Switzerland and on Majorca. ArabellaSheraton is a joint-venture company between the Munich-based Schorghuber Group and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc (NYSE: HOT - news) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 725 upscale and luxury properties in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.