Starwood To Revamp Sheraton Brand
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide today announced that it would spend almost $3 billion during the next several years to revitalize its Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand, including renovations, new properties and other hotel initiatives.
The plan calls for upgrades to 100 hotels in the United States, about half of its North American portfolio. The $1.3 billion slated for renovations will involve renovating 50,000 guest rooms and redesigning more than 100 new lobbies. "We are leveraging Starwood's proven history of building great lifestyle brands to enhance the entire guest experience for the company's most global, recognized brand," Sheraton senior vice president Hoyt Harper II said in a statement.
Elements of the new room design include movable desk space, flat-screen televisions and a charging station for guests' electronics. The bathrooms will be refurbished with new lighting, a freestanding vanity and water-saving plumbing fixtures. Closets will be replaced with wood-paneled wardrobes.
Lobby renovations will include a new communications hub with free wireless Internet access and Internet-enabled computer stations, as well as a centrally located communal table for group work. Sheraton said it will alter lighting and other design elements to create more of a feel of the outdoors.
Starwood also plans to spend $2 billion in new hotel openings over the next few years. The brand currently has 406 hotels in 71 countries, slightly less than half of Starwood's overall portfolio of about 900 properties.