![\"Sheraton](\"http:\/\/first2board.com\/verygoodpoints\/files\/2013\/06\/Sheraon-Dubai.jpg\")
<\/p>\nScheduled to Debut in 2015, the New Sheraton, Westin and Four Points by Sheraton Hotels Add Nearly 1,500 Rooms to the Holy City<\/i><\/p>\n
MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 24, 2013–\u00a0Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(NYSE:HOT) has signed an agreement with\u00a0Jabal Omar Development Company\u00a0to open three new hotels in the Holy City of Makkah. As part of the\u00a0Jabal Omar Development\u00a0project, Starwood will add 1,496 rooms to the city under the company’s Sheraton\u00ae, Westin\u00ae and Four Points\u00ae by Sheraton brands when the hotels open in 2015. Starwood currently operates 10 properties in\u00a0Saudi Arabia, the second largest market for the company in the\u00a0Middle East\u00a0behind the\u00a0UAE.<\/p>\n
“We are delighted to work with\u00a0Jabal Omar Development Company\u00a0as we introduce the Sheraton, Westin and Four Points by Sheraton brands to the holy city of Makkah,” said\u00a0Michael Wale, President,\u00a0Starwood Hotels & Resorts,Europe,\u00a0Africa\u00a0and\u00a0Middle East. “As business travel and religious tourism continue to expand in\u00a0Saudi Arabia, we believe the time is right to expand our portfolio in the country.”<\/p>\n
H.E. Abdul Rahman Abdul Qadir Fakieh, chairman of the board for\u00a0Jabal Omar Development Company\u00a0commented, “We are excited to partner with Starwood to bring three of their world-class brands to\u00a0Makkah. We believe the addition of these hotels is in line with the goal of the\u00a0Jabal Omar Development\u00a0to improve and urbanize the central area surrounding\u00a0Al Haram\u00a0and provide much needed facilities and accommodations for pilgrims.”<\/p>\n
Al Haram, the\u00a0Jabal Omar Development, is a 230,000 square meter mixed-use development in\u00a0Makkah\u00a0comprised of 38 high-rise buildings. With 26 hotels and over 11,000 rooms, the complex is one of the largest hotel developments in the world.<\/p>\n
Sheraton Makkah Hotel<\/b><\/p>\n
With a long history in the\u00a0Middle East, spanning more than 50 years, the Sheraton brand continues to be one of the most sought-after hotel brands in the region. Offering a warm and lively ambience, the\u00a0Sheraton Makkah Hotel\u00a0will boast 532 guest rooms and suites featuring the all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper\u00ae Bed. The hotel will also feature five food and beverage venues, including two large buffet restaurants to suit the schedules of guests.<\/p>\n
Other signature offerings at the\u00a0Sheraton Makkah Hotel\u00a0include the\u00a0Sheraton Club Lounge\u00a0and Link@Sheraton\u00ae experienced with Microsoft\u00ae in the lobby, a unique social and communications hub delivering the technology guests expect and require while on the road.\u00a0Sheraton Fitness\u00a0Programmed by Core\u00ae Performance will feature separate gym equipment and training facilities. The hotel will also offer over 185 square meters (2,000 square feet) of meeting and event space.<\/p>\n
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Westin Makkah Hotel<\/b><\/p>\n
Offering a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere,\u00a0Westin Makkah\u00a0will feature 513 guest rooms and suites outfitted with the renowned Westin Heavenly\u00ae Bed and the Heavenly\u00ae Bath.\u00a0Westin Makkah\u00a0will offer two large buffet restaurants for guests, as well as a specialty restaurant and two lounges.<\/p>\n
Signature experiences such as the Heavenly\u00ae Spa by Westin and the WestinWORKOUT\u00ae, offering fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, will help create a revitalising stay for guests. The hotel will also offer more than 232 square meters (2,500 square feet) of ultra-modern meeting and function space.<\/p>\n
Four Points by\u00a0Sheraton Makkah Hotel<\/b><\/p>\n
With more than 170 hotels around the world, the Four Points by Sheraton brand has solidified its place as Starwood’s third largest brand with the second-biggest global pipeline.<\/p>\n
With a modern design and an uncomplicated friendly approach to hospitality and service, Four Points by Sheraton Makkah will offer guests a compelling blend of comfort, style and affordability. Four Points by Sheraton Makkah will feature 451 comfortable guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a lounge, a business center and over 92 square meters (1,000 square feet) of meeting and event space.<\/p>\n
Starwood in the\u00a0Middle East\u00a0and\u00a0Saudi Arabia<\/b><\/p>\n
“This landmark project, featuring three of our lifestyle brands, marks an important milestone for Starwood in the Middle East,” said\u00a0Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development,\u00a0Starwood Hotels & Resorts,Europe,\u00a0Africa\u00a0and\u00a0Middle East. “With eight hotels in the pipeline in the next three years, we are set to nearly double our portfolio in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”<\/p>\n
Starwood currently operates 10 hotels in\u00a0Saudi Arabia\u00a0under the Sheraton and Le M\u00e9ridien brands. This includes two Le M\u00e9ridien hotels in\u00a0Makkah,\u00a0Sheraton Riyadh Hotels & Towers, Le M\u00e9ridien Medina, as well as hotels in the cities of Al Khobar,\u00a0Taif\u00a0and\u00a0Dammam. Most recently, Starwood opened Four Points by Sheraton Riyadh Khaldia and the company will open the\u00a0Sheraton Medina Hotel\u00a0and Four Points by\u00a0Sheraton Medina Hotel\u00a0later this year. With the signing of three new developments in\u00a0Makkah, Starwood now has over 3,000 rooms in its\u00a0Saudi Arabiapipeline.<\/p>\n
Starwood operates close to 50 hotels and resorts across the\u00a0Middle East\u00a0under eight of the company’s nine distinct lifestyle brands including: The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le M\u00e9ridien, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Scheduled to Debut in 2015, the New Sheraton, Westin and Four Points by Sheraton Hotels Add Nearly 1,500 Rooms to the Holy City MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 24, 2013–\u00a0Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(NYSE:HOT) has signed an agreement with\u00a0Jabal Omar…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[91,742],"tags":[411,745],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n