Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has opened its first W hotel in the Middle East in partnership with owners and developers J&A Jaidah Holdings. The W Doha Hotel & Residences in Qatar has been designed by London-based United Designers.

W Doha features 291 guest rooms, including 31 suites and 154 W Residences. The brand’s signature Living Room experience and Bliss Spa are joined by Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s ‘Spice Market’ and ‘Market by Jean-Georges’ restaurants. There is also a poolside outdoor shisha lounge, champagne bar, event space, and luxury retail space.

The hotel is located in the West Bay of Doha on the Qatar peninsula, five minutes from drive from the Corniche.

It is the first W Hotel designed by United Designers, who have created “a series of spaces that not only embrace the philosophies of an evolving culture but also challenge the expectations of the modern day traveller.”

Starwood said it remained on track to open new fifty hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East (EAME) by 2012. Other W Hotels scheduled to open in the region are to be located in Milan, St Petersburg, and Amman with Marrakech, London, Manchester and Paris recently added to the pipeline. W Barcelona is due to open in Autumn 2009.

Later this year, Starwood will open its first Aloft hotel in the Middle East, with the launch of Aloft Abu Dhabi. Construction of a further Aloft in Brussels is well underway.

Click here for a Q&A with W Doha designers United Designers.

LINKS:

www.starwoodhotels.com
www.united-designers.com