Starwood Hotels & Resorts signs dual-hotel development in London

Aloft London Tobacco Dock is the second Aloft hotel in the UK capital, while Element London Tobacco Dock will be the first time that Starwood’s Element eco-brand has been brought to the UK. Both sites will be connected to each other and their Tobacco Docks location is close to the City, Canary Wharf and a number of tourist destinations in the capital. The Dock itself is on the banks of the Thames and hosts large meeting, arts and event spaces as well as a Grade I listed warehouse.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East president Michael Wale said: “We look forward to a long-term collaboration with the Fawzia Mubarak Al-Hassawi Group as we expand our portfolio of mid-market hotels in London. These agreements mark an exciting milestone for Starwood’s growth in the United Kingdom and illustrate the strong demand for stylish, yet affordable accommodation in mature and strategically important markets such as London.”

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has 10 hotels in the UK at the moment and eight in London, including the Lanesborough, Le Méridien Piccadilly and The Park Lane Hotel. With the addition of these two new hotels to their portfolio Starwood will be appealing to the mid-range market.

Senior vice president of Acquisition & Development at Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East Bart Carnahan said: “The mid-market sector is a key driver of growth for the company and now represents nearly 40 per cent of our global pipeline. These signings further underscore our continued commitment to expand our European portfolio of mid-market brands through franchising and management contracts in primary destinations. We are excited to expand the presence of our Aloft brand in the UK as well as to introduce Element to the market with its emphasis on clean, sustainable living.”

Aloft London Tobacco Dock​

The Aloft branded hotel will have 251 rooms which are ‘urban’ influenced and have life-like ceilings, large windows and plush platform beds. The bedrooms come with Bliss® amenities and walk-in showers.

The hotel will also include Aloft’s signature XYZSM bar, Re:chargeSM fitness centre and Re:fuelSM deli which sells food and drink options for guests to access 24 hours a day. Aloft London Tobacco Dock will also have a range of four meeting spaces with audio-visual software for the business market.

Element London Tobacco Dock​

 Starwood’s Element hotels are ‘green’ eco-friendly hotels and the brand mandates that all its properties follow LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines for high-performance.

The Element in London will have 77 studios with one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites, which are sustainable and aim for comfort. They include flat-screen televisions, large desks, custom-designed wardrobes and the signature Heavenly® Bed as well as fully-equipped kitchens. Bathrooms have ‘rain’ showers and dual-flush toilets.