aloft to Open in Miami-Dade County, FL
WHITE PLAINS, NY, February 19, 2008. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) and its new lifestyle brand, aloftsm hotels, today announced plans to open an aloft hotel in Aventura, Florida, a premier golf community nestled in the northeast corner of metropolitan Miami-Dade County. Starwood has partnered with Cabi Aventura Hotel, LLLP and Aventura Development to develop aloft Aventura, which is expected to open in 2008.
Centrally located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Aventura is known as a golf haven given its vast selection of courses. Just minutes from world-famous South Beach, The community offers balmy weather, beautiful parks and easy access to Miami Seaquarium, Coral Gables, Hollywood Greyhound Track, and the Aventura Mall - a 2.4 million square foot retail center with fine dining, high-end shopping and movies. Close to both the Miami International Airport and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, aloft Aventura will feature 215 rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
"With its urban chic and lively social atmosphere, aloft Aventura will provide a fresh, new lodging alternative for both business and leisure travelers to the Miami area," said Brian McGuinness, Vice President of aloft and element hotels worldwide. "Like aloft, Aventura is rich with the energy of discovery and interaction, and we're excited to introduce our forward-thinking new brand to one of South Florida's most beautiful communities."
As a Vision of W Hotels, aloft is shaking up the lodging industry with urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. aloft offers a total sensory experience, with rooms featuring loft-like nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows to create a bright, airy environment. The centerpiece of the aloft room is the ultra-comfortable signature bed, and large stylish bathrooms complement the guest experience with oversized walk-in showers and amenities created by bliss(R) spa. Each aloft room is also a combination high-tech office and entertainment center, featuring wireless internet access and plug & play, a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops - all linked to a large flat panel HDTV ready television for optimal sound and viewing.
"As an Aventura-based organization we have a good sense of our local community and believe aloft is a perfect match for Aventura's unique blend of sophistication and active lifestyle," said Misha Mladenovic, VP of Development for Cabi Developers. "We are proud to be a part of this project, which will reflect the city's style, ambience and beauty."
Designed in conjunction with world renowned David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, aloft stays true to the W Hotel brand's heritage, offering atmospheric public spaces designed to draw guests from their rooms to socialize and make friends. Guests can read the paper, work on their laptops via hotel-wide wireless internet access, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mix communal lobby area and bar w xyz. The re:charge fitness center and splash, the indoor or outdoor pool, give travelers options to de-stress and re-energize; while re:fuel by aloft, a one-stop food and beverage area, offers sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and beverages to grab & go, 24-hours a day.
The first aloft hotels are targeted to open in Summer 2008, with locations anytown/anywhere... For more information on aloft, please visit www.alofthotels.com.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
