Starwood Hotels and Resorts will open a 252-room hotel in London’s Docklands ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The hotel will cater to the urban chic mid-market and will be developed by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

The Aloft London ExCel will have loft-like guestrooms, a bar scene in the open lobby, a grab-and-go cafe, as well as roomy walk-in showers.

Aloft has 50 hotels in the US China, Canada and the United Arab Emirates, with plans to enter Belgium, India and Thailand.