Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) has signed an agreement with Bari Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG to open a new-build Element hotel at Gateway Gardens, Frankfurt`s new city district near the airport. Scheduled to open in 2014, Element Frankfurt Airportmarks the much-anticipated European debut of the trailblazing eco-wise brand.
The hotel will be located in a newly developed business district at the doorstep of Europe's third busiest air travel hub, near the global headquarters of companies such as Lufthansa, Condor and DB Schenker.
Launched in 2008, Element has made history as the only major hotel brand to mandate that all properties pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for high-performance buildings. More than just a "green" hotel brand, however, Element is designed to provide the balance that business and leisure travellers need to thrive on the road.
"We are proud to partner with Bari Gruppe as we debut the first Element hotel in Europe," said Roeland Vos, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East. "We see great opportunities to grow the Element brand in markets such as Germany, where there is a strong demand for affordable and innovative hotel brands. The signing of Element Frankfurt Airport underlines Starwood's continued commitment to expanding our portfolio globally and particularly in Europe."