ISTANBUL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), has signed an agreement with Nisantasi Konaklama ve Otel Hizmetleri A.S. (Demsa Group) to open aSt. Regis hotel in Istanbul. Set to open in the first half of 2014, The St. Regis Istanbul will mark the debut of the luxury brand in Turkey and extend Starwood’s presence in the country.

“We look forward to a long-term collaboration with Demsa Group starting with the launch of our St. Regis brand in Istanbul, a thriving historical city that is becoming a major player in global travel”

“We look forward to a long-term collaboration with Demsa Group starting with the launch of our St. Regis brand in Istanbul, a thriving historical city that is becoming a major player in global travel,” said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East. “As a truly cosmopolitan city, Istanbul provides the perfect setting for the bespoke service and refined elegance defined by the legacy of the St. Regis brand.”

“Demsa Group continues to contribute significantly to the increase of the confidence of global brands in Turkey’s economy through initiatives and investments,” said Cengiz Çetindoğan, Chairman, Demsa Group. “For the Maçka hotel project, located in the distinguished Nişantaşi neighbourhood, we want to collaborate with St. Regis, a global brand that has remained committed to high standards and exceptional service for over a century.”

Located in the sophisticated Nişantaşi neighborhood in the Sisli district on the European side of the city, The St. Regis Istanbul will offer easy access to chic boutiques, restaurants and cafes, and important landmarks including the Istanbul Congress Center and Taksim Square. Designed by award-winning Turkish architect Emre Arolat, the new-build hotel will overlook Maçka Park and the Bosphorus. The St. Regis Istanbul will have 118 rooms, of which four suites will feature custom interiors by world-renowned designers, as well as an exceptional presidential suite spanning approximately 2,000 square feet.

Renowned hallmarks of the St. Regis brand that will be available at the hotel include signature St. Regis Butler Service, providing anticipatory service and customizing each stay according to specific tastes and preferences. Culinary offerings will provide a sophisticated ambiance, including a brasserie-style restaurant which is set to become the new social and meeting address in Nişantaşı. The rooftop restaurant will provide an unforgettable experience, while the lobby bar will be ideal for an intimate cocktail. The hotel will feature a spa, fitness center, as well as a business center, meeting rooms and a ballroom.

Starwood in Turkey“Owner and developer interest across our nine lifestyle brands is fueling Starwood's global growth both in primary and secondary markets,” added Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “The addition of a St. Regis hotel in Turkey to our brand portfolio is further proof of the exceptional opportunities for both leisure and business development in the country across all sectors of the hospitality industry.”

Starwood currently operates nine hotels in Turkey under five of its distinct lifestyle brands, including four hotels in Istanbul – Sheraton Istanbul Maslak Hotel, Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel, W Istanbul and Le Méridien İstanbul Etiler. Outside of the city, Starwood’s portfolio includes the Sheraton Cesme Hotel, Resort and Spa, Sheraton Ankara Hotel & Convention Centre, and The Lugal, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Ankara, while earlier this year, Starwood entered Bursa with the Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa Hotel, marking the launch of the company’s fast-growing Aloft Hotels brand into Turkey.

Later in 2013, Starwood will open its 10^th hotel in Turkey with the Sheraton Adana Hotel, making Turkey one of the largest markets in Europe for the Sheraton brand. Scheduled openings in 2014 include The St. Regis Istanbul and the Sheraton Samsun Hotel. Starwood’s expanding footprint in Turkey is in tandem with the country’s continued growth as a tourist magnet and also as an event, business and financial center.

The Turkish economy is booming with GDP doubling during the last decade, while new projects underway in Istanbul include the world’s largest airport, with six runways and annual capacity of 150 million, as well as the new Istanbul International Financial Center and the recently-opened 6,5 million square feet Vialand, with a theme park, aquapark and retail park.

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About St. Regis Hotels & ResortsCombining classic sophistication with a modern sensibility, St. Regis is committed to delivering exceptional experiences at 31 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Since the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago by John Jacob Astor IV, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests delivered flawlessly by signature St. Regis Butler Service. From Bal Harbour to Bangkok, Saadiyat Island to Shenzhen, the St. Regis brand caters to a new generation of luxury travelers and continues to thoughtfully build its portfolio in the most sought after destinations at the heart of today’s grand tour. Plans for the brand to expand its legacy include much-anticipated St. Regis Hotels & Resorts in the Riviera Maya and in Asia, where St. Regis has announced plans to open hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Lijiang, Nanjing, New Delhi, Qingshui Bay and Zhuhai. In the Middle East, St. Regis will continue to expand in Amman, Cairo and Dubai. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts please visit stregis.com, to explore our recent debuts visit stregis.com/newgrandtour and for the privilege of residential ownership please visit stregis.com/residences. Connect with St. Regis on instagram.com/stregishotels, facebook.com/stregis, pinterest.com/stregishotels, and youtube.com/stregishotels.

Demsa Group (Nişantaşı Konaklama ve Otel Hizmetleri A.Ş.)Founded in 2000 as a retail company and headed by Cengiz Çetindoğan as Chairman, Demsa Group currently has 115 stores and over 1000 employees across Turkey. A strong capital structure along with the company’s faith in Turkey’s growing retail industry that provides employment to the young and dynamic Turkish youth has quickly made Demsa Group an important player. As a leading luxury and apparel retailer group that represents global brands like Harvey Nichols, Brandroom, Tom Ford, Lanvin, AMQ, and Michael Kors in Turkey, Demsa Group also continues to invest in property development, hotels and restaurants. Hotel investments began in 2010 when the Group bought the Maçka Hotel land and continued in 2012 with taking over the property tenure of Pera Palace Hotel, one of the historic and cultural landmarks of Istanbul. Demsa Group signed an agreement with Jumeirah Group, one of the world’s leading and most innovative luxury hotel chains for the operation of the hotel. Building on its success in the retail industry, Demsa Group has been expanding its investments in the hospitality industry with luxury hotels and restaurants since 2010.