Former Howard Johnson hotel becomes a Sheraton, Romania's first

Starwood & Resorts hotel chain enters Romanian market where will operate under the Sheraton brand after concluding a franchise agreement with Grand Plaza Hotel in Bucharest, formerly known as Howard Johnson, reads Mediafax.

“We are happy to partner with Grand Plaza Hotel in implementing our first development project for a hotel by introducing the Sheraton brand in Romania's capital city, a high-potential and extremely dynamic city”,said Michael Wale,President for Europe, Africa & Middle East for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, as per a press release quoted by the news agency.

The new Sheraton hotel will have 270 rooms, two restaurants, a bar, and a club lounge. Its debut on the local market is part of a massive expansion programme worldwide, currently ongoing. Last year, the company opened 74 new hotels in 2014, representing approximately 15,000 rooms in 26 countries and it also signed 175 new hotel management and franchise agreements.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in 100 countries, and 181,400 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with international brands such as: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, and Element.