Le Meridien to debut in Bangladesh with the signing of Le Meridien Dhaka
Dhaka – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the signing of Le Méridien Dhaka, slated to open in July 2013. Owned byBest Holdings Limited, the 304 room hotel will be located close to Dhaka International Airport with easy access to the city’s central business district offering breathtaking views of the city. Le Méridien Dhaka will mark the second Starwood managed hotel in Bangladesh.
“We continue to look for opportunities to grow Starwood’s brands in South Asia and are delighted to announce the signing of Le Méridien Dhaka, strengthening Starwood’s footprint in Bangladesh,” saidMatthew Fry, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Development, Starwood Asia Pacific. “As one of the fastest growing cities in the world, we saw a real opportunity to introduce a new, global upscale hotel in Dhaka.”
Known as the “City of Mosques” and described as the “Rickshaw capital of the World”, Dhaka, with its rich cultural heritage, provides endless opportunities for discovery. Le Méridien Dhaka will offer the perfect combination of comfort and extravagance bringing to life the fusion of modern and traditional evocative of this Southeast Asia destination.
“We are thrilled to partner with Starwood Hotels to bring Le Méridien to Dhaka—a very promising city with a growing need for a 5-star hotel with world-class offerings,” said Mr. Amin Ahmad, Chairman and Managing Director Best Holdings Limited. “We aim to create a chic and stylish property that will deliver the true experience of Le Méridien, while adding new life into this bustling city.”
Le Méridien Dhaka will span between the eighth and fifteenth floors of a new mixed use development and offer guests breathtaking views of Dhaka from the building’s rooftop. Four food and beverage venues, including an all-day dining restaurant and specialty restaurant and bar, will offer distinctive culinary experiences for both guests and locals alike. The hotel will also house a 2,800 square-foot fitness center fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and a 2,400 square-foot spa.
“Le Méridien has experienced significant growth momentum in Southeast Asia in recent years, and the opening of Le Méridien Dhaka will be another key milestone in our transformation,” said Vincent Gillet, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide. “Since being acquired by Starwood more than six years ago, Le Méridien has undergone a comprehensive brand re-launch, and we look forward to serving as a creative hub in the city of Dhaka.”
Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by 99 properties in 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. With over 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy.
By appointing a full-time Cultural Curator – French arts-provocateur Jérôme Sans – Le Méridien transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique and interactive experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific markets, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels inIstanbul, Oran (Algeria), Arlington (Virginia, USA), Coimbatore (India), Koh Samui (Thailand), and Taipei, and will open in the next 12 months in Bali, Zhengzhou (China), Qingdao (China), Mahabaleshwar (India),Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Cairo (Egypt), Tianjin (China), and Suvarnabhumi (Thailand). – Source : Business Wire
