Starwood to manage New Hotel in Hangzhou, China

Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Zhejiang Haiwei have signed an agreement whereby Starwood will manage the Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel, Qianjiang in the Zhejiang province of China. The newly built 400-room Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel is scheduled to open in mid-2009.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has expanded its portfolio in China significantly in the last two years with the opening of Sheraton hotels in Haikou on Hainan Island and Dongguan, Le Méridien She Shan, Shanghai, and Four Points by Sheraton in Shanghai and Shenzhen. In the past 24 months, the company also signed agreements to manage 25 new hotels in Shenzhen, Xiamen, Beijing, Changsha, Haikou, Guiyang, Hong Kong, Dameisha, Urumqi, Changshu, Shanghai, Zhongshan, Zhejiang, Daning and Taiyuan. With the signing of Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel, Starwood now has 26 hotels and resorts under construction in China under its Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, Le Méridien and Four Points by Sheraton brands.

“We are honored to partner with Zhejiang Haiwei Holding Co., Limited to establish Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel. This hotel will be located in the high techonology Binjiang district along the southern bank of Qiantang River in Hangzhou, also known as the new downtown of Hangzhou city and a flourishing new technology town for research, trade and education, with high technology industries being its pillar. As the capital of Zhejiang Province on the Yangtze River Delta, Hangzhou is also well-known as an ancient imperial city of China, renowned for its natural beauty. We are excited about this opportunity to tap into the leisure and business travel markets in this rapidly thriving market,” commented Miguel Ko, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific.

Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province and its political, economic and cultural center. With its famous natural beauty and cultural heritages, Hangzhou is one of China's most important tourist destinations. The West Lake is undoubtedly the most renowned feature of Hangzhou, noted for the scenic beauty that blends naturally with many famous historical and cultural sites. The Lake and its environs have also inspired poets of great renown such as Bai Juyi and Su Dongpo down the ages. Hangzhou, about 180 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, is experiencing rapid economic growth, fueled by the large influx of foreign investment and strong export orientation of their industries.

Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel will be located in the Binjiang district of Hangzhou, which is being developed as the new downtown of Hangzhou city. The hotel will be built as part of an integrated multi-use complex, with offices, hotel and retail outlets. The hotel will be about 20 minutes by car from the Xiaoshan International Airport and 10 minutes by car from the West Lake Scenic Area. Sheraton Hangzhou Hotel will offer 400 guest rooms, 21,100 square feet of meeting space, four restaurants and bars, a health club as well as an outdoor swimming pool.

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