Saraya Islands to be the Destination of The Luxury Collection Resort to Offer an
Exceptional Indigenous Experience in Ras Al Khaimah
New York, NY - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces the entry of The Luxury Collection in Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates. Under a long-term agreement with Saraya Islands, PJSC., the hotel will be operated under the Luxury Collection brand within the Saraya Islands, a distinguished mixed-use destination in the heart of Ras Al Khaimah between the Hajjar Mountains and the Arabian Gulf. The Luxury Collection Resort is expected to open in 2011.
"We define The Luxury Collection by our guests and the experiences and services they demand and expect. Nothing less than an exceptional level of service, perfect location and indigenous personal offerings will do," said Ross Klein, President of Starwood's Luxury Brands Group. "The magical destination of Ras Al Khaimah on the edge of the Arabian Gulf creates the perfect setting for the debut of The Luxury Collection in the United Arab Emirates."
The hotel's 300 lavishly decorated guestrooms will include 40 suites, all with breathtaking views and the latest modern conveniences. It will serve a variety of international culinary options at its six food and beverages outlets, including two specialty restaurants, and offer approximately 43,000 square feet of indoor meeting space. The Luxury Collection Resort will provide guests with an exceptional level of service, a majestic ambience and exquisite oceanfront dining options. Guests can take a refreshing swim in the pool, play an invigorating game of tennis, indulge themselves with a soothing spa treatment or simply enjoy the sun along the hotel's beautifully landscaped property, which includes a private stretch of pristine beachfront.
Saraya Islands, the luxurious mixed-use destination, is conveniently located fifteen minutes from Ras Al Khaimah's international airport. The Luxury Collection Resort will occupy a prime spot in Saraya Islands. Within this destination, guests will have access to upscale shops, restaurants, entertainment outlets, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, a water amusement park and three miles of sandy beaches.
"It is only right and in sync with our strategy to partner with the best in the tourism field for Saraya Islands. Partnering with The Luxury Collection brand is our contribution to the hospitality sector in Ras Al Khaimah, which has witnessed substantial development in the past couple of years, and this hotel will add a further dimension of excellence," said Mahdhar Al-Tamimi, General Manager of Saraya Islands.
"We are very proud to be chosen by Saraya Islands for the management of this fantastic property and I am looking forward to expand our relationship in the near future," said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and Middle East. "We are fully committed to providing exceptional service and memorable experiences to our customers and I am sure this Luxury Collection Resort will offer our global travelers the opportunity for an unforgettable, luxurious stay in United Arab Emirates."
The Luxury Collection Hotel concierge will bring guests enriching, indigenous experiences that showcase the beauty, culture and gastronomic richness of the area. The new property joins more than 69 hotels under The Luxury Collection brand around the world, including Hotel Maria Cristina and Hotel Marques de Riscal Hotel in Spain, Hotel Danieli in Venice, Hotel Imperial in Vienna, Hotel Grand Bretagne in Athens, and The Phoenician in Arizona. Each is unique, providing the discerning global traveller with an experience that is authentic to the destination.
Saraya Islands will comprise six premium five-star hotels and resorts, a top-notch marina, palatial villas, villas of various types and sizes, lagoon view townhouses, waterfront terraced apartments, exotic bungalows, high quality retail, restaurants and entertainment outlets, a pedestrian boulevard, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, pedestrian-friendly bridges, bicycle roads, and an amusement water park, in addition to five kilometres of sandy beaches, all set within a unique architectural design .
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About Saraya Holdings
Established in 2005, Saraya Holdings is a real estate development and asset management company, which invests in the travel and tourism industry. Saraya's vision is manifested in turning untapped natural locations into luxurious destinations. Saraya Holdings seeks to support the economic growth of the countries it invests in by developing projects that maximize shareholders' value and contribute to local communities' sustainable development. Through its investment subsidiaries, Saraya Holdings has invested in a number of destinations including the Saraya Aqaba, currently under construction in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, Jordan. Other Saraya destinations, currently at various stages of development, include Saraya Bandar Jissah near Muscat in Oman; Saraya Islands in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates; Saraya Dead Sea at the Dead Sea in Jordan; Saraya Aktau on the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan; and Saraya Sochi on the Black Sea in Russia. Through strategic partnerships with the public and private sector, Saraya Holdings' destinations provide a variety of facilities and services including premium hotels, retail space, entertainment, leisure and sport facilities, as well as superb residential units, which preserve natural environments and local cultures.
Saraya Holdings has also introduced a bouquet of customized services to complement its world-class destinations. These include Saraya Aviation, a private jet charter operation, which will render its services to customers visiting the various Saraya destinations, as well as to businessmen, large corporations, banks and government officials. Saraya Aviation's fleet will allow short and long haul flights, taking off and landing at any Saraya destination and around the world. Services also include Saraya Realty, the exclusive property sale, re-sale and leasing arm of residential units at Saraya Holdings' luxurious destinations. Saraya Realty targets end users and second-home owners through a variety of product packages tailored to meet their expectations. Saraya intends to continue to differentiate itself by introducing more exclusive services in the near future with the aim of offering an integrated and holistic travel experience to its customers. For more information on Saraya Holdings, please visit www.sarayaholdings.com
About Saraya Islands
Situated in Ras Al Khaimah, Saraya Islands will occupy a pristine 5.5 kilometers long natural island running parallel to the Ras Al Khaimah coastline thereby creating a natural lagoon between the project and the mainland. The founding partners behind Saraya Islands are the Investment and Development Office of the government of Ras Al Khaimah, Saraya Holdings and a subsidiary of Arab Bank Plc, in addition to Saraya Real Estate MENA Fund. The partners together bring a wealth of global experience and expertise to the project.
Saraya Islands consists of four islands and a main village inter-connected through a series of appropriately scaled resort-style roads and bridges. These islands are called: al-Boum, al-Marsa, al-Sahab, and al-Wahat. Saraya Islands will offer luxurious resort and world class themed hotels destination, an array of palatial villas, lagoon view townhouse, terraced apartments, exotic bungalows, luxury spas and retreats, serviced residential units all including private and semi-private gardens and swimming pools, high quality retail, restaurants and entertainment outlets, amusement water park, pedestrian bridges, as well as bicycle and walking trails, a marina and an amphitheatre. For more information on Saraya Islands please visit www.sarayaislands.com.
About The Luxury Collection
The Luxury Collection brand is a selection of unique hotels and resorts offering exceptional service to an elite clientele. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world's finest. The Luxury Collection hotels and resorts are distinguished by magnificent dcor, spectacular settings, impeccable service and the latest in modern conveniences and amenities. In bustling cities and spectacular destinations around the world, The Luxury Collection provides the definitive hospitality experience for people of superior taste and refinement. With over 65 properties in 26 countries, collecting the world's experiences is inspiring with The Luxury Collection. For more information, please visit www.luxurycollection.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Mridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, AloftSM and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Unites States federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)
For more information, please contact:
From Saraya Holdings:
Shereen El-Sharif
Public Relations Superviser
Ph. +971 4 375 4060
Email: selsharif@sarayaholdings.com
From Starwood:
Cindy Yoong
Area Director of Public Relations, UAE
Ph. +9714 207 1455
Email: cindy.yoong@starwoodhotels.com
Marco Ferrari
Vice President, Director of External Communication
Ph.+39-06-4880225
Email: marco.ferrari@starwoodhotels.com
Dianne Dillingham
Starwood's Luxury Brands Group
Ph. 212 380 4078
Email: Dianne.dillingham@starwoodhotels.com
Press Release 2008
