Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced an expansion of its Aloft brand in the United Arab Emirates with plans for a new 172-room Aloft hotel in Al Ain, the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Scheduled to open in 2016, Aloft Al Ain will be Starwood’s first property in Al Ain and the second Aloft hotel in the UAE, joining Aloft Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2009.
The hotel will be part of a new mixed-use development surrounding the iconic Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, a 25,000-seat venue expected to become one of the most advanced sporting arenas in the Middle East. The wider development will include office space, family entertainment areas, retail outlets, dining options and residential units, creating a lively urban hub around the stadium.
Aloft Al Ain will offer 172 loft-inspired rooms designed with high ceilings, oversized windows, platform beds and spacious walk-in showers. Onsite amenities will include a bar, a fitness center and two flexible meeting and event spaces suitable for small conferences and social gatherings. The design and amenities aim to deliver a contemporary, tech-forward stay that appeals to both leisure and business travelers.
“We see strong potential to expand the Aloft brand across established markets in the Middle East, where demand is high for stylish, contemporary hotel concepts,” said Bart Carnahan, senior vice president of acquisitions & development for Starwood’s Europe, Africa and Middle East division. The company currently operates around 50 properties in the Middle East and has plans to add approximately 30 more in the coming years.
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