Dubai: Starwood Hotels and Resorts, a hotel management company, has signed an agreement with Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Properties, a unit of the Dubai-based conglomerate, to launch its Westin and Le Méridien brands in Bahrain, according to a statement on Monday.
Both hotels will be linked to Bahrain City Centre. The Westin Bahrain City Centre and Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre will add 460 rooms to Starwood’s portfolio in Bahrain. They are set to open in early July.
Starwood has been present in Bahrain since 1981, with the opening of the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel.
“We look forward to expanding our footprint here with the launch of these two distinct lifestyle brands later this year,” stated Michael Wale, Starwood’s President for Europe, Africa and Middle East.
Last year, Starwood signed eight hotel management agreements in the Middle East.
Globally, the company signed 152 hotel management and franchise agreements and opened 74 hotels, with 16,200 rooms in 22 countries.
Starwood opened six luxury hotels in 2013, including the St. Regis Abu Dhabi, the brand’s second hotel in the emirate and third hotel in the Middle East.
Fast-growing markets, which include Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia and Colombia, accounted for around 75 per cent of Starwood’s development pipeline and 60 per cent of the signings in 2013.
