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5 June 2004
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. | W Hotels, the world's
fastest growing style brand, continues its
rapid global expansion with the announcement
of its first resort property, the W Maldives-Fesdhu
Resort in the Republic of Maldives, scheduled
to open in late 2005. Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), W's
parent company, has formed a joint venture
company with Universal Enterprises Ltd.
that will develop and own this newly built
resort featuring 80 over water and beachfront
villas on a private island. Starwood will
own 50 percent of the resort.
"With its pure white sand beaches,
turquoise lagoons and careful and pristine
approach to tourism, the Maldives is an
excellent location for our first W resort,"
said Barry S. Sternlicht, Starwood's Chairman
and CEO and the creator of W Hotels. "The
W Maldives will appeal to sophisticated
travelers searching for an exotic destination
that is truly extraordinary."
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Maldives
a popular travel destination |
Located southwest of Sri Lanka on the equator,
the Maldives comprises 1,190 coral islands,
forming an archipelago of 26 major atolls.
With a proud history and rich culture that
evolved from the first settlers from various
parts of the world since ancient times,
the Maldives is a melting pot of different
cultures.
W Maldives-Fesdhu Resort will have the
sole private and exclusive use of Fesdhu
Island. The island, with its expansive and
beautiful lagoon, will enable the resort
to feature 50 over water villas and 30 beachfront
villas. The resort's spectacular villas
and guest facilities will incorporate a
unique blend of Maldivian island village
design, together with the contemporary W
design features for which the brand has
become world-renowned. The resort will offer
its guests unique W food and beverage concepts,
innovative W recreation, water sports and
dive center facilities and W The Store.
The resort will also feature W Hotels' signature
service commitment that provides "whatever
you want, whenever you want it."
When it opens, The W Maldives will be the
brands 21st hotel and the third in Asia
Pacific. The W Hotel concept was first introduced
to Asia-Pacific with the opening of W Sydney
in 2000. W Sydney today enjoys a reputation
as one of the most popular spots in Sydney
and has been recognized with an array of
design and hospitality awards. The W Seoul
Walkerhill will debut in July 2004.
The first W Hotel opened in New York in
December 1998. There are now five hotels
in New York City (W New York, W New York
- The Court, W New York - The Tuscany, W
New York - Union Square and W New York-Times
Square) and 18 hotels brandwide. This summer,
W will open the W Montreal and the W Seoul
Walkerhill, and W Hotels are under construction
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Dallas,
Texas.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts expanded
its portfolio in Asia Pacific significantly
since last year with the opening of its
first resort in China, Sheraton Sanya Resort,
Hainan Island, China, followed by Sheraton
Jiuzhaigou Resort in the World Natural Heritage
site of Sichuan province, China, Sheraton
Krabi Beach Resort in Thailand, The Westin
Resort Nusa Dua Bali and other hotels in
Dongguan, China, Saigon and Hanoi, Vietnam
and Bangkok, Thailand.
Source: HopitalityNet.
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