Starwood has opened its 200th select-service hotel, an Aloft in Winchester, Virginia. The company’s three select-service brands have grown 56 percent in the last three years, with no signs of slowing down. “With Aloft’s forward design sensibility, Element’s eco-chic positioning, and the timeless, stylish comfort of Four Points, we’ve awakened a category that wasn’t necessarily known for originality,” says Brian McGuinness, Starwood’s senior vice president, specialty select brands. “We continually hear from guests and partners that we’ve brought something truly fresh into select service, and that’s been key to the global success of these brands.”
The tech-savvy Aloft will debut in Europe and India this year, with three hotels planned for the latter in 2010. Meanwhile, Element hotels-each one of which is designed to LEED standards-will see a New York City debut in October. By 2013, Four Points by Sheraton is slated to open 10 new properties in China, where it already operates 10 hotels. Four Points will also debut in Pune, India, and Lagos, Nigeria, this year.
