Starwood To Expand Aloft To New York, India, Europe

Starwood Hotels & Resorts today announced that it would open 10 new properties under its select-service Aloft brand this year, including the brand's first properties in New York, India and Europe.

The brand, which opened its first property in June 2008, will add two properties in New York this year, in Brooklyn and Harlem. Three Aloft properties will open in India: Chennai, Bangalore and Coimbatore. This year also will mark Aloft's first European hotel, in Brussels, according to Starwood.

Aloft, designed as a W-style boutique brand in the midprice tier, currently has about 40 properties. Unlike many brands in the tier, its development started with an international slant, with properties already open in China and Abu Dhabi and about half of this year's pipeline outside of the United States.

"The brand, which has an existing presence in four countries, is at a pivotal point in its growth cycle and is poised to continue to break new ground in 2010 as it debuts in India and Europe, while further establishing its presence in the U.S. and China," according to Starwood president of global development Simon Turner.