Hotel Brand That's Rocked the Industry With Fastest Brand Launch Ever Plans a Rocking Global Celebration

By: Starwood Hotels & Resorts | 0 Shares 68 Reads

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Sep 28, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The hotel brand that's rocked the industry is about to rock the world with a groundbreaking global music festival.

In an industry first, Aloft will celebrate the milestone of surpassing its 50th hotel opening by launching "Live at Aloft Hotels: 50 Days of Music", a worldwide festival showcasing today's hottest emerging bands at Aloft hotels worldwide.

Aloft is the sizzling "style-at-a-steal" brand from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). With more than 50 properties now open worldwide, the brand has enjoyed the fastest launch in hospitality-industry history. Designed to appeal to the next generation of traveler, Aloft offers urban-influenced, modern, vibrant design - along with a tech-savvy sensibility and social guest experience - at an affordable price point.

For 50 days, starting now, the "Live at Aloft Hotels: "50 Days of Music" festival will give Aloft guests and music fans alike the chance to glimpse the future of rock - with Aloft's buzzing wxyz bars serving as the world stage. 50 Aloft properties around the world will host 50 intimate concerts featuring up-and-coming bands and, as a bonus, fans can access 50 free songs, inside info, pictures, schedules and performance footage on the Aloft Facebook page at www.facebook.com/alofthotels. The complete at-a-glance event schedule can be viewed at www.liveatalofthotels.com. For bands, the festival promises exposure to many thousands of music fans worldwide.

"Our guests have come to see Aloft as their partner in exploring and discovering music and pop culture, and that relationship is a big part of the brand's success," said Paige Francis, Vice President of Marketing, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. "This global event is our way of celebrating the surpassing of our 50th milestone in a way that guests would expect - with an over-the-top live music festival showcasing the best of what's next in music."

The festival will also offer one lucky band a chance at a once-in-a-lifetime break: A dream performance at "Aloft Presents Live in the Vineyard", an exclusive, twice-yearly Napa Valley live-music showcase. The band whose song earns the most downloads will win the coveted gig. Headliners at "Aloft Presents Live at the Vineyard" have included KT Tunstall, James Blunt, Lenny Kravitz, Hanson, and Colbie Caillat. The next edition of "Aloft Presents Live in the Vineyard" takes place in November.

About Aloft Hotels

With more than 50 hotels open in the three years since Aloft first arrived on the scene, Aloft has changed the hotel landscape offering style at a steal everywhere from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com.

Aloft, like all brands within Starwood's portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, which offers a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,058 properties in 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Méridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), and Element SM. The company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

###