By Zinnia B.
Dela Peña (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 24, 2012
MANILA,
Philippines - Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide, one of the world’s
biggest operators of high-end business and leisure accomodations, is looking to
open its first hotel in the Philippines on July 1, 2016, marking the Westin
brand’s re-entry into the Philippine market.
Westin is
Starwood’s second largest brand in Asia Pacific region with more than 40 hotels
in operation and 20 hotels in the pipeline.
Starwood will
build the 600-room Westin Manila Bayshore as part of Travellers International
Hotel Group’s multi-billion-dollar integrated entertainment complex in Manila –
Resorts World Bayshore.
Travellers
International is a joint venture between property tycoon Andrew Tan’s Alliance
Global Group Inc. (AGI) and Malaysian conglomerate Genting Group.
Westin Manila
Bayshore’s facilities include the signature SuperFoodsRX menu, five food and
beverage venues, WestinWorkout fitness facilities and swimming pool, Heavenly
Spa and 2,300 square meters of convention spa.
Starwood
Hotels Southeast Asia regional vice president Chuck Abbott said the group is
excited to enter the booming market in the Philippines, and believes there is
sufficient demand for the Westin brand’s signature programs and amenities.
Aside from
Westin Hotel Bayshore, Starwood will also develop the 350-room Sheraton Manila
Hotel within Resorts World Manila, located in Newport City, Pasay.
Sheraton
Manila Hotel, to be developed in the third phase of the integrated resort, will
include three dining venues; 420 sqm of meeting space; the Sheraton Club and
Club Lounge; and a full service Shine Spa for Sheraton. It is targeted for opening on Jan. 1, 2017.
Starwood also
operates internationally renowned brands St. Regis, The Luxury Collection,
Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton,Le Meridien, AloftSM and
ElementSM. It likewise owns Starwood Vacation Ownership
Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation
interval ownership resorts.
Starwood,
which currently operates 230 hotels in Asia Pacific, plans to hit 400 in the
region by 2016.
It has 1,000
properties in 100 countries and approximately 145,000 employees.
The two
hotels will support AGI’s bid to become the largest hotel operator in the
country. AGI aims to build more than
5,000 hotel rooms in the next five to seven years to take advantage of the
country’s flourishing economy.
The
government itself seeks to increase tourist arrivals from 3.5 million last year
to 6.5 million in 2016.
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