Global hospitality major Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide today introduced its new premier tier 'Sheraton Grand' with the company's Bengaluru hotel becoming the first property under it in India.
"Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway will be the first Sheraton Grand in India... This is one of the few selected properties to be designated the 'Grand' crown around the world...," Starwood Hotels & Resorts MD (India) & Regional Vice President (South Asia) Dilip Puri told PTI.
Sheraton Grand is the new premier tier of the Sheraton brand comprising Sheraton hotels that have been selected for their primary urban or resort locations, success in driving superior guest satisfaction scores, and showcasing outstanding design throughout the hotel, he added.
"Sheraton is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts with over 430 hotels in 75 countries around the world. The 'Grand' tier has been bestowed on a few chosen properties in the first round," Puri said.
Commenting on the development, Starwood interim CEO Adam Aron said, "Sheraton Grand celebrates our standout hotels and helps us further reinforce Sheraton as a trusted voice in global travel."
Sheraton is Starwood's largest and most global brand, and "as we continue our work to firmly keep Sheraton in the spotlight, we recognise the need to better match guest expectations for the brand around the world," he added.
The worldwide network of Sheraton Grand will promote growth and lure more high-end travellers for the Sheraton brand globally, and we look forward to welcoming 100 Sheraton Grand hotels by early 2017, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Global Brand Leader Dave Marr said.
The company plans to continue to select new properties across the globe, with the goal of 50 Sheraton Grand hotels by the end of 2015, and 100 by the end of the first quarter of 2017.
Apart from India, Sheraton Grand will have presence in other global cities, including Dubai, Edinburgh, Tokyo and Bangkok and Beijing, among others.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts currently has 6 of its 10 brands present in India - The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton, Aloft and Four Points by Sheraton and is set to bring its world renowned luxury brand St Regis to India.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide currently has over 1,200 properties in around 100 countries and over 180,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
