With the addition of the Le Meridien brand to its portfolio, Starwood has much reorganisation on its hands and just how it will proceed had yet to be unveiled at the time of going to press.
While there is a lot of scope for the group in the region – with its St Regis brand unrepresented here and the Westin Jeddah the only one of its kind – the Sheraton brand is one of the most familiar here. Previously announced new properties, however, include the Sheraton Dreamland Hotel in Egypt, set for an early 2006 opening and the L’Amphitrite Palace in Morocco (2006). The Sheraton Bahrain is undergoing an extensive renovation programme in readiness to become part of the Kingdom’s newest development, the Bahrain World Trade Centre.