Aloft Al Ain will debut in 2016 within the city’s Haaza Bin Zayed Stadium mixed-use development, marking Starwood’s entry into Al Ain.
ABU DHABI, UAE – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced it has signed an agreement to open a new 172-room Aloft hotel in Al Ain, the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Scheduled to debut in 2016, Aloft Al Ain will be the first Starwood property to open in Al Ain and the second Aloft hotel in the UAE joining Aloft Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2009. Catering to the next generation of travelers, Aloft delivers urban-inspired design, innovative technologies and a lively social atmosphere featuring live music performances.
“I would like to thank Al Ain Club Investment Company for putting their trust in Starwood as we bring Aloft to Al Ain, furthering the brand’s footprint in the UAE,” said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Due to phenomenal demand in markets worldwide, Aloft is on track to open its 100th hotel within the next year, and we see huge potential for this stylish brand to grow in the UAE and throughout the Middle East.”
Aloft Al Ain will be an integral part of the city’s spectacular 500,000 square metre mixed-use development surrounding the iconic 25,000-seat Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, poised to be the most advanced sporting arena in the Middle East. The development will include office space, residential units, family entertainment, retail shops and dining.
“Our aim is to create a pioneering new entertainment and tourism destination,” said Kareem Nagy Hassan, Chief Executive Officer, Al Ain Club Investment Company. “With the stadium as the central hub, this highly anticipated development will provide an exclusive combination of living, working and a healthy lifestyle in one location and we are thrilled to have Starwood’s Aloft Al Ain as our flagship hotel within this.”
Aloft Al Ain will feature 172 loft-like rooms, including two presidential suites, all featuring the brand’s signature loft-like ceilings, oversized windows, an ultra-comfortable platform bed and large walk-in showers with complimentary Bliss Spa products. The newly constructed Aloft will also offer the brand’s signature W XYZ(sm) bar, an atmospheric public space where guests can mix and mingle. Additional amenities will include the RE:Charge(SM) fitness center and RE:Fuel (SM) by Aloft, a convenient grab-n-go kiosk with an array of sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and drinks available 24 hours a day. For meetings and presentations, the new Aloft will offer two creative spaces equipped with the latest audiovisual technology.
“We see great opportunities to grow our Aloft portfolio in established markets across the Middle East, where there is a strong demand for stylish and leading-edge hotel brands,” said Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, Europe, Africa and Middle East Division, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “As the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with increasing investment and growing business and leisure opportunities, Al Ain is an attractive destination for development.”
Starwood currently operates nearly 50 hotels in the Middle East and continues to strengthen its long-established position as one of the leading luxury hotel operators in the region, with plans to open an additional 30 hotels in the next few years. The company currently operates an Aloft hotel in Abu Dhabi and is set to open another four new Aloft hotels in the region in the next three years in Al Ain and Sharjah in the UAE, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Erbil in Iraq.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
