STAMFORD, CT–Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s select-service brands, which include Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton, are on track to open their 250th hotel in early-2013.
An additional 10 hotels are scheduled to open worldwide in the following four months. This mid-market portfolio has grown more than 50% since the first quarter of 2009. It was in 2009 that Starwood established its Specialty Select Brands division to optimize support for franchise owners. A separate unit within the company remains dedicated to full-service franchise hotels.
Originally envisioned as a new-construction brand, Aloft has recently begun pursuing conversions, which has helped accelerate the brand’s growth. Recent conversion projects include hotels at San Francisco Airport and downtown Nashville.