Second W Hotel in Middle East to open in 2007

Starwood is planning to open the W Doha Hotel & Residences in Qatar, end 2007. The W Doha, which will be located in the West Bay of Doha on the Qatar peninsula, is the brand's second hotel planned for the Middle East following the W Dubai Festival City.

Starwood will manage the hotel on behalf of J&A Jaidah. The W Doha will feature 292 guest rooms, including 31 suites and 154 W Residences, multiple signature restaurants, a poolside outdoor shisha lounge, champagne bar, event space, and luxury retail space.

The W Doha will offer the Living Room experience the brand is known for, creating a place where guests and the local community can socialize, poolside lounge areas and spectacular views of the Persian Gulf. Guests and residents will be treated to the W brand's signature Whatever/Whenever service, the hotel's 24-hour concierge that can provide whatever guests want (from a pair of running shoes to private jet service), whenever they want it.

"W Doha will offer a level of design, energy and style that does not yet exist in Qatar while giving our guests access to some of the most authentic and treasured elements of the city, including shopping in traditional souks and desert safaris," said Ross Klein, President of W Hotels Worldwide. "As the Middle East booms as a business and leisure destination, W is proud to offer a new kind experience for visitors and the local community in this region."

United Designers of London, best known for designing projects around the world including U2's The Clarence Hotel in Dublin and the Metropolitan Hotel in London, have been chosen as the designers for the W Doha project.

As part of a larger global expansion, the W brand also has plans to open hotels in Dubai, the Maldives, Barcelona, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Santiago, and Vieques.

See other recent news regarding: Starwood, W Hotel, Doha