
Starwood's Westin Bahrain City Centre and Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre will be located in the heart of Manama and are in close proximity to popular tourist and commercial areas. The two hotels will add a total of 460 rooms to Starwood's portfolio in Bahrain. "We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Majid Al Futtaim Properties as we debut our Westin and Le Méridien brands in Bahrain," said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. "We have a long presence in the country, dating back to 1981 when we opened the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel. We look forward to expanding our footprint here with the launch of these two distinct lifestyle brands later this year." George Kostas, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, said: "We welcome the addition of these two new brands to our portfolio. We believe they will add significant value to our offering in Bahrain and will further strengthen the position of our 11 hotels across the region." The Westin Bahrain City Centre will feature 200 rooms, including six executive suites and a presidential Suite. All rooms will have the Westin Heavenly products and the in-room technology. The hotel will also offer five dining venues and over 6,500 square-feet of event space as well as a Spa and fitness center. Le Méridien Bahrain City Centre will offer 260 guest rooms, including 18 executive suites and a Presidential Suite. The hotel will have three dining venues including a coffee bar and lounge and an all-day dining restaurant and will have over 5,000 square feet of event and meeting space, including a business center, ballroom and five meeting rooms. Starwood operates nearly 50 hotels and resorts across the Middle East and plans to further expand its portfolio in the region with a pipeline of over 35 hotels due to open by 2017.