The hotel building boom in China continues undiminished. Luxury hotel operator Starwood Hotels and Resorts plans to add 70 new properties in China in the next three years.

Oliver Bonke, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at Starwood Asia-Pacific and seen in our illustration, said the Chinese hotels will make up the bulk of the 100 to be added across the Asia-Pacific region.

He said, ‘China will get more Starwood hotels than any other countries in the world.’

Oliver Bonke was in China recently signing hotel deals. The group now operates 40 hotels in the country.

Starwood has signed contracts for two Shanghai hotels and for a Westin and a St Regis hotel in Jiangsu provincial capital Nanjing.
That brings to 13 the number of hotel deals Starwood has signed in the first 11 weeks of the year. Last year, it added 50 new hotels in the country.

The hotel operator plans to open 15 new hotels in China this year. Its Aloft hotel, a limited service version of the W brand, is also expected to open in Beijing this year ahead of the Olympic Games in August. Five W hotels are planned for China.

Starwood owns eight brands including Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Westin, St Regis, Le Meridien, Aloft and W.
Source: China Daily

With the Christmas season arriving five-star hotels are bringing out their winter packages in force.

Le Royal Meriden Shanghai has introduced ’Le Winter Package’ running from Dec 15-Feb 16, 2008:

- Starts from RMB1,300/night in Grand Deluxe room (plus 15%)
- Minimum two-night stay
- RMB400 credit in hotel restaurants
- Late checkout 2pm

It recently hosted French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, during his three-day State visit to China, when he met with Chinese officials and French businessmen at the hotel.
Source: PR Le Royal Meridien Shanghai

The saying used to be that the sun never sets on the British Empire. Looked at worldwide the same could be said of Starwood. In China Starwood Hotels and Resorts is working on the basis it will become the second largest travel and tourism destination in the world after the United States. So its policy is to sign more hotels at an increasing rate. After opening six new hotels during 2006, Starwood is expected to open 33 new hotels in the region within the next three years.

Some current developments:

Aloft Beijing, Haidian will be part of the recently signed Four Points by Sheraton Beijing, Haidian. Facilities will include 200 guestrooms, 3,900 square feet meeting space (think MICE), a fitness centre, indoor pool and three restaurants.
W Guangzhou Hotel & Residences in the economic centre of Pearl River Delta, is due to open in 2010. 320 rooms and suites, 167 serviced apartments, 16,000 sq ft meeting space.
Four Points by Sheraton Guangzhou, Dongpu opening in 2009. 310 guestrooms, over 5,800 sq ft meeting space, three restaurants, outdoor pool, health club and spa.
Sheraton Huadu Resort, Guangzhou is expected to open in 2009. It will have 97 villas with mountain and water views plus all the amenities of an upscale hotel.
The Westin Shimei Bay Resort, Hainan Island will opening in 2010. 40 villas, 124 rooms, 4,300 sq ft meeting space, three restaurants, health club, spa, outdoor swimming pool and tennis court.
A Le Meridien resort is set to open on Hainan Island in 2008.
The Westin Xian should open 2010. 296 rooms, 11,300 sq ft meeting space, five restaurants, health club, spa and indoor heated pool.
The St. Regis Resort, Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous region is opening in 2010. 169 rooms, 9,000 sq ft meeting space, three restaurants, health club, spa, indoor heated pool and business centre.
Sheraton Nanchang Hotel will open in 2011 as part of a mixed use complex including offices and shopping. 350 rooms, three restaurants, lounge, spa, health club, indoor pool and over 20,000 sq ft meeting space.
Westin Tianjin Hotel and Residences set to open in 2010. 300 rooms, 150 residences, four restaurants, health club, spa, indoor heated pool and 17,000 sq ft meeting space.

And that is probably a far from complete list. It is an astounding and extended increase in development for one country.
Source: eTravelBlackboard

On December 1st 2006, in an extraordinary installation of light and art, Le Royal Meridien Shanghai was officially opened with a celebration: The Sky is the Limit. For the display Thierry Dreyfus recreated in light the Shanghai cityscape. This will be a permanent light installation to add to the Shanghai skyline at night.

Five powerful ‘light cannons’ will beam pulsing red light vertically into the sky to create a beating effect which, if you are fanciful, make the Le Royal Meridien Shanghai look as if it is ‘heart of Shanghai’. Inside the hotel at 789 Nanjing Lu Bar, which is on the top 64th, 65th and 66th floors of the hotel, guests will literally see Shanghai in a new light through multi-colored filters on the windows.

This first night experience is illustrative of the new direction of Le Meridien since it was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The idea is to transform Le Meridien into the sort of hotel that attracts the creative guest. To further this idea Le Meridien is forming partnerships with contemporary art institutions around the globe and recently appointed Jerome Sans, a Paris-based arts provocateur, as the brand’s cultural curator.

This is not the first time this has happened. Thierry Dreyfus first worked this magic with Le Meridien San Francisco and made the hotel into ever-changing creation of contemporary art.

Jerome Sans, co-founder of the Palais de Tokyo museum in Parisis is forging partnerships for Le Meridien with contemporary artists and art institutions worldwide. On speaking about the aim of his work with Le Meridien he said, ‘The goal for Le Meridien is first to become a cultural hub for all people attracted to art, design, fashion, by discovery, people who appreciate chic culture in general.’

Le Meridien has formed an alliance with The Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai. The partnership will offer Le Meridien guests special access to MOCA as part of their stay. This idea is being carried forward in the most serious way.
The room key itself was designed by the Franco-Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming.

Le Royal Meridien Shanghai stands between the historic Nanjing Road East and the greenery of People’s Square. Dominating the skyline with 66 floorsit has 770 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. And catering for less artistic urges it has 10 restaurants and bars, 2,000 square metres of meeting space, two grand ballrooms, a spa, sauna and gym, an indoor swimming pool with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath.
Source: Hospitality Net