Starwood’s select-service Aloft brand has made its Indian debut with the launch of the 130-room Aloft Chennai. But as the first of six Aloft hotels to open in India by 2012, it won’t be alone for long.
The Aloft Chennai, OMR - IT Expressway, is situated on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), a place known for its abundance of IT companies, capitalising on one of India’s fastest-growing and most important industries.
Each of Chennai’s loft-style rooms will include “design-led” features such as high ceilings, Aloft’s signature bed and walk-in showers, as well as free wifi and large high-definition TVs that link to most common electronic devices.
But hot on Chennai’s heels is the 170-room Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield, due to open in less than a week’s time and already taking bookings for stays starting September 9. Like Chennai, the Bengaluru property is situated in an IT-industry hotspot.
One more Aloft is due to open before the year is out – the Aloft Coimbatore Singanallur which launches December 1. The Aloft Ahmedabad, SG Road, and Aloft Chandigarh Zirakpur will open next year, while the Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park is slated to open in 2012.
Aloft, with its 40-strong portfolio, has pursued a rapid expansion since its US debut in June 2008, having gone global within its first 15 months. Starwood recently announced its first London property and second in Europe, the Aloft London Excel, due open in time for the 2012 Olympic Games (see online news June 8).
The first Middle Eastern Aloft opened in Abu Dhabi in October last year (click here to read the review), while Europe’s first property, the Aloft Brussels, is due to launch September 1 this year.
For more information visit starwoodhotels.com.
Report by Andrew Gough
