Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which operates the Sheraton and Le Meridien resorts in the UAE, is focusing on the development of new budget brands in Dubai, UAE.

“The next wave of growth in Dubai will be with some of our three and four-star brands such as Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton, and the goal is to have Dubai as second to none in terms of number of hotels for Starwood,” a report in The National quoted Frits van Paasschen, the chief executive of Starwood, as saying.

Meanwhile, the group expects to open the 474-room Sheraton Grand Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road on November 22, which will also include 180 serviced apartments. Next year, it plans to open the UAE emirate’s first St Regis at Al Habtoor’s 1 million-sq-ft hospitality complex and another Westin hotel. The third property in the complex, a W hotel, is scheduled to open before the end of next year, the report said. – TradeArabia News Service