Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced its plans to open four new Aloft brand hotels in Latin America by 2015, as part of the group’s growth strategy in the region.
The Aloft Panama will open in 2013, Aloft Merida, Mexico, and Aloft Asuncion, Paraguay, in 2014, and Aloft Montevideo, Uruguay, in 2015.
Aloft Panama will be developed in two phases with the first phase having 126 rooms; the second phase, with 186 rooms, will open in 2016.
Aloft Merida will have 136 rooms, the Asuncion property will have 120, and the hotel in Montevideo 100 rooms.
The brand forayed into the Latin American market in December 2011 with the Aloft Bogota Airport in Colombia, and continued its expansion with Aloft San Jose in Costa Rica.
The group, which has 71 hotels in the region, expects to expand its portfolio by 25% with 17 properties opening by 2016.
In the last year, a deal was signed to develop Aloft Panama City, and there is a plan to introduce the brand in three more markets in the region.
Starwood senior vice president of specialty select brands Brian McGuinness said, "The brand continues to develop a fiercely loyal following and experience strong momentum as it enters new markets around the world. We are excited about the brand’s growth in the region over the next two years."
Starwood Hotels & Resorts co-president of the Americas Osvaldo Librizzi said that it is an exciting time in Latin America as the company continues to see economic growth, rising personal incomes and a growing middle class.
"The expansion of Aloft into these key markets is yet another milestone in our overall development strategy and is an important step in strengthening our position as the leading hotel operator in Latin America."
