Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has signed an agreement with Amer Eisa Mousa Al Amri, a prominent UAE businessman, to launch its debut hotel under the design-led Aloft brand.

The opening of the Aloft Sharjah, scheduled for early 2015, is the second hotel for the brand in the Middle East, where it launched the Aloft Abu Dhabi in 2009.

Located on the beachfront of the Corniche Road, the Aloft Sharjah will offer convenient access to the city’s cultural and historical attractions and will be situated 10 minutes away from the Expo Center Sharjah.

'We are delighted to partner with Amer Eisa Mousa Al Amri as we debut the first Aloft hotel in Sharjah”, remarked Roeland Vos, the president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“The opening of Aloft Sharjah underlines Starwood’s commitment to continued growth and expansion throughout the UAE, which is an integral part to our overall development strategy,” he said.

Commenting on his first-ever hotel venture, Al Amri said: “We are thrilled to introduce Aloft to Sharjah and we are confident that through this partnership with Starwood, the new hotel will create a new benchmark in the city with its modern style and great value.”

Celebrated as the fastest brand launch in hospitality industry history, the debuts of Aloft New York Brooklyn, Aloft Zhengzhou Shangjie and Aloft Haiyang in China, and Aloft Coimbatore Singanallur in India, position the “style at a steal” brand with 55 hotels around the world.

The architectural and engineering consultancy for the hotel will be provided by QHC - Architects and Engineers, an UAE-based consultancy firm with offices in Sharjah, Dubai and Beirut, said Vos.

Aloft Sharjah will feature 286 urban-influenced guest rooms with signature loft-like ceilings, over-sized windows and ultra-comfortable plush platform beds as well as walk-in showers and Bliss amenities, the official stated.

Designed to appeal to the next generation of traveller, the fast-growing brand expects to increase its global portfolio to more than 70 hotels by 2013, he added.-TradeArabia News Service