Starwood Continues Expansion of Four Points Brand in India

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the signing of a Non-Exclusive Master Agreement with D.I.H (Cyprus) Limited, an affiliate of Duet India Hotels Ltd., and JHM Interstate Hotels India Pvt. Ltd. The agreement was signed concurrently with the execution of the agreement for the Four Points by Sheraton Pune, Nagar Road.

The Non-Exclusive Master Agreement also covers the Four Points by Sheraton Jaipur City Square, which opened in October 2009, and Four Points by Sheraton Visakhapatnam. Four Points by Sheraton Pune, Nagar Road and Four Points by Sheraton Visakhapatnam are both targeted to open in October 2010.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts -- which already boasts the largest upper-upscale and luxury Indian footprint of any U.S.-based hotel company -- is launching a major expansion of its mid-market brands, Four Points by Sheraton Hotels and Aloft Hotels, in India. Starwood is well on track with its plans to grow its existing portfolio of 26 hotels in India by 60 percent by 2013 with the opening of the first Four Points by Sheraton in Navi Mumbai, Vashi in partnership with the Rahejas Group.

All Four Points properties in India, including the hotels in Navi Mumbai, Jaipur and the soon to open hotels in Pune and Visakhapatnam, are new builds, bringing a new generation of sleek, modern, and stylish mid-market hotels to the country.

Four Points by Sheraton Pune will be located on Nagar Road, with convenient access to the airport, leading retail centers and offices. The hotel will feature 216 rooms (168 hotel guestrooms and 48 serviced apartments) along with two food and beverage outlets, a lounge bar and nearly 10,500 square feet of meeting and function space. The serviced apartments are designed for extended stay guests and will consist of a bedroom, living area and kitchen. Pune is one of the largest cities in India, with many colleges and universities, and is fast emerging as a prominent hub for information technology and manufacturing companies.

Scheduled to open on Oct. 31, Four Points by Sheraton Visakhapatnam is located minutes from the main business areas, the airport and local sightseeing. The hotel will feature 122 guest rooms, three restaurants and bars, a swimming pool and spa along with a fully equipped business center and 6,232 square feet of flexible meeting and function space.

Starwood’s legacy in India began in 1973, when its Sheraton brand debuted in Mumbai. The company has since grown the portfolio to 26 hotels under its Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, The Luxury Collection and Le Méridien brands. By 2013, Starwood expects to have an additional 15 new hotels in India across the Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft brands.