Starwood Signs First Aloft and Element Hotels in Dubai

Starwood has signed an agreement with wasl hospitality & leisure LLC, a subsidiary of wasl Asset Management Group, to debut the Aloft and Element brands in Dubai.

Scheduled to open in 2018, Aloft Dubai Raffa and Element Dubai Raffa will bolster Starwood’s presence in Dubai – the city with the second largest concentration of hotels for the company after New York City.

With the debut of both brands in 2018, Dubai will soon be home to all nine of Starwood’s brands.

“We are very excited to introduce the Aloft and Element brands into Dubai, and are delighted to expand Starwood’s successful relationship with wasl hospitality & leisure,” said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “With the Dubai government promoting mid-scale hotel development ahead of the Dubai World Expo 2020, we believe the timing is right to widen the reach of our signature Aloft and Element experiences, which are revolutionizing the hospitality industry by delivering a modern, urban-style experience at an affordable price.”

Aloft Dubai Raffa and Element Dubai Raffa will be built simultaneously and operate as an unique complex offering 165 and 96 rooms respectively, upon opening in early 2018.

Located near Dubai Maritime City — the new development at Port Rashid — the hotels will be located close to Sheikh Zayed Road and the heart of Dubai’s traditional commercial centre.

Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East, said, “The pipeline for our mid-market brands is increasingly robust and we see many opportunities for both new-build hotels and conversions for the brands throughout the Middle East.”

Starwood currently operates nearly 50 hotels and resorts across the Middle East under eight of the company’s nine brands including: The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft. The company has plans to further expand its portfolio in the region with a pipeline of over 35 hotels due to open by 2017.

Dubai is the company’s second largest market after New York City with 15 operating hotels and six properties in the pipeline, including Aloft Raffa and Element Raffa.