St. Regis Doha to Open Next Year in Middle East

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(Doha, Qatar) -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. recently announced the debut of the St. Regis Doha, marking the company's second St. Regis hotel to open in the Middle East within a year.

The first was St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, which opened last December; St. Regis Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open this fall on the Corniche fueling St. Regis' dynamic worldwide growth. In the past five years, the number of Starwood's top luxury branded hotels has nearly tripled worldwide.

St. Regis will continue to expand its portfolio with the debut of The St. Regis Mauritius Resort later this year.

"Introducing the brand's celebrated legacy and unparalleled luxury offerings to Qatar with the opening of The St. Regis Doha is an exciting and significant accomplishment for St. Regis," says Paul James, Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. "As culture, business and leisure brilliantly intersect at Doha, the destination is one that St. Regis and our affluent guests have recognized as a new 'must' on the modern day grand tour, and we are pleased to bring the brand to this thriving country."

Starwood currently operates nearly 50 hotels in the Middle East and continues to strengthen its long- established position in the Middle East as one of the leading luxury hotel operators in the region. By 2015, the Middle East will become the second region, after North America, to operate all nine of Starwood's world-class brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Meridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft and Element - further reinforcing the company's commitment to the region.

Owned by Resorts Development Company and developed by Alfardan Group, The St. Regis Doha is Qatar's first St. Regis hotel and ideally located within Doha's newest waterfront destination at Al Gassar Resort. The hotel features 336 luxuriously-appointed guest rooms, including 70 elegant suites and two Presidential suites, all offering breath-taking views of the Arabian Gulf. As the finest address in Doha, the hotel is centrally located between the city's cultural heritage sites and its emerging commercial hub. The hotel's distinctive architecture showcases the contemporary design fused with traditional Arabic touches, an impressive addition to the city's skyline.