Landmark property will re-open in 2014 with new General Manager and Executive Chef

DUBAI, UAE - January 16, 2014: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide recently announced the appointment of Stephan Vanden Auweele as General Manager of the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel to spearhead the extensive renovation of the landmark hotel. The hotel also appointed Stuart Sage as Executive Chef to oversee the hotels six food and beverage outlets.

Belgian born hotelier, Stephan Vanden Auweele holds over 20 years of experience in opening and managing hotels around the world. In his role as General Manager of Sheraton Dubai Creek, Vanden Auweele will overlook the re-opening and operations of the hotel and also introduce new Sheraton brand concepts within the property.

Vanden Auweele's moves from his role as General Manager of Aloft Abu Dhabi which he opened in 2009.  He played a pivotal role in introducing the Aloft brand in the Middle East.  Vanden Auweele was also responsible for the openings of Sheraton Algarve and Sheraton La Caleta. Vanden Auweele's career has taken him across the globe including Belgium, Denmark, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Portugal and Spain. He speaks seven languages - English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Danish.

"Sheraton Dubai Creek was our first property in the UAE and this renovation will restore the history of the hotel as an iconic landmark in Dubai," said Guido de Wilde, Senior Vice President, Regional Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Middle East. "With his previous experience with Sheraton, strong leadership and enthusiasm, we are excited to have Stephan lead the renovation and re-opening of the hotel."

Another key appointment for the hotel is new Executive Chef, Stuart Sage, who brings nearly 19 years of experience to the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. Sage's previous Starwood positions include Chef de Cuising at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina for two years and research and development Head Chef of Le Meridien Dubai.

In his role, Chef Sage will oversee all the newly renovated outlets including the Italian fine dining restaurant, Vivaldi; the award winning Indian restaurant, Ashiana; Creekside, serving Japanese and Asian cuisine; Chelsea Arms and the lobby café.  He will also be responsible for in-room dining and catering for events in the hotel.

Born in the United Kingdom, Chef Sage began his hospitality career as Senior sous chef for The Judges Manor House (Middlesbrough, UK) in 2003 and has since let his passion for food introduce new culinary concepts across Europe and he Middle East. 

General Manager, Stephan Vanden Auweele commented on the appointment of Chef Sage, "We are delighted to bring on Chef Sage as our new Executive Chef at the hotel.  Chef's creativity and passion for food will introduce new and exciting concepts across our outlets."

Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel is currently undergoing a full refurbishment of all guest rooms, the Vivaldi restaurant and other facilities in the hotel. The extensive renovation of the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel will include a complete redesign of the public spaces and all 262 rooms and suites, embracing the modern interpretation of classic design for which the Sheraton brand is known. Known as "Lady of the Creek", the hotel is a landmark retreat with a legacy of warm hospitality and personalized service for discerning travelers.   Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel is scheduled to re-open in April 2014.

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in nearly 70 countries around the world and recently completed a $6 billion global revitalization and is now in the midst of a $8 billion global expansion over the next three years. Sheraton is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,146 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Further information, please contact:
Ms Candice Barwell
Director of Sales
Candice.barwell@sheraton.com
Tel 04 207 1450 

© Press Release 2014