STAMFORD, Conn.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has partnered with GJP Hotéis & Resorts to expand the presence of its Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand in Brazil. The 284-room Sheraton da Bahia Hotel, which is located in Salvador, is currently undergoing an extensive renovation and will re-open by Q1 2013. It will be operated by local hotelier GJP Hotéis & Resorts under a franchise agreement.
“We are thrilled to expand our portfolio of Sheraton hotels in Brazil and partner with GJP Hotéis & Resorts to open our first hotel in Salvador, one of the country’s most important cities,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Americas. “This additional hotel in Brazil, highlights our distinctive positioning in this fast-growing market and the strength of the Sheraton brand in the upper upscale hotel segment.”
“This is a historic time for the Sheraton brand. Starwood has invested billions of dollars in renovating iconic properties and bringing the brand to the most important places in the world,” said Hoyt Harper, global brand leader for Sheraton Hotels. “Brazil is now a powerhouse economy whose prominence around the world will be permanently established with the upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games, and Sheraton is thrilled to expand its presence there during these exciting times.”
When it reopens as Sheraton da Bahia Hotel, the hotel will feature 284 guestrooms, including 16 suites, all featuring the brand’s signature all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed and a Sheraton Club Lounge. The lobby will feature the brand’s Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft- Sheraton’s signature social hub. The hotel will also offer two restaurants, business center, 27,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, and the brand’s signature Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core Performance with a spacious work out space, a 1,938 square feet spa with a salon and sauna, and swimming pool.
“The partnership with the Sheraton brand will greatly enhance GJP Hotéis & Resorts, the brand is a global icon in the hospitality industry, which now arrives in Salvador, at the Hotel da Bahia. The city deserves this accomplishment which will enrich the value of local and national tourism in Brazil, including corporate travel”, said Guilherme Paulus, President GJP Hotéis & Resorts.
The hotel is currently undergoing a renovation that will preserve the historic building, such as the façade with its tiles and prominent works of art, including the grand murals by Genaro de Carvalho as well as three other large murals by Argentine artist Carybé.
