The opening of Aloft Chennai OMR-IT Expressway marks debut of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s select-service hotel brand in India.

As a younger, tech-driven society, Starwood believes India will become a key market for the Aloft brand’s development outside of the United States. “India is a key focus of Starwood’s expansion efforts, in large part because it is a market that today is relatively ‘under-hoteled,’” says said Vasant Prabhu, Starwood’s vice chairman and chief financial officer. “India is one of the most promising markets within Asia Pacific, with GDP estimates topping 7% for the next two years and a consumer market expected to rank as the world’s fifth biggest by 2025. The market is especially ripe for mid-market products like Aloft, and we look forward to opening several more Aloft hotels in India over the next few years.”

Featuring large guestrooms, buzzing bar scenes, grab-and go cafes and industrial design elements throughout, the Aloft brand seeks to deliver urban-influenced, modern and vibrant design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point.

“The energy of Aloft properties in India will reflect the dynamism of the cities where we’re opening our doors,” says Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of specialty-select brands for Starwood. “And we’re excited to connect with India’s taste-making Gen Y travelers, who’ve been eager for a hotel experience that matches their very forward-thinking sensibilities.”

It is the 42nd Aloft hotel globally, and another Aloft hotel is scheduled to open this month in Bangalore. Urbanedge Hotels, a subsidiary of Auromatrix Hotels Pte. Ltd., plans to open several Aloft hotels across India over the next few years. “We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with Starwood,” says Kumar Sitaraman, chairman and CEO of Auromatrix Hotels. “Aloft will raise the bar in the mid-market category.”

Aloft Chennai OMR – IT Expressway features 130 loft-style guestrooms, accessible technology and a vibrant social atmosphere. The hotel is located on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), the hub for IT development in Chennai. The hotel is adjacent to more than 5,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and a restaurant.

Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield will include 170 guestrooms, and access to a large restaurant and more than 8,500 sq. ft. of meeting space. The hotel will be located in Whitefield, Bangalore, one of the city’s two major clusters of IT industries, home to several IT parks and an export promotion zone.

More hotels in Chennai and Bangalore

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), Inland American Lodging Corporation and Alliance Hospitality Management LLC announce the opening of Aloft Chapel Hill.

The 40^th Aloft hotel worldwide, this brand new destination sensation introduces style at a steal to Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle Park with 130 spacious, loft-like rooms, 1,600 square feet of meeting space, intuitive and accessible technology and a hip, social atmosphere.

“We are really excited to be opening our second Aloft hotel within the Inland American Lodging Corporation’s portfolio. In addition to its ideal proximity to the University of North Carolina, the hotel is perfectly situated in Chapel Hill and will appeal both to people working in or visiting the greater tri-city market,” said Craig Lambert of Inland American Lodging Corporation.

“Aloft Hotels introduces a compelling blend of urban style and social interplay to Chapel Hill,” said Rob Cote, general manager of Aloft Chapel Hill. “Bold and stylish, Aloft Chapel Hill targets both sophisticated travelers and area professionals with its eclectic and electric experience, lively re:mix ^sm lounge and w xyz ^sm bar.”

Located at 1001 South Hamilton Road, the property is located adjacent to the UNC campus with a Chapel Hill transit stop directly at the hotel and part of the new East 54 Village, a new urban community of luxury condos, shops and dining, right in Chapel Hill.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Aloft brand to the Chapel Hill community,” explained Rolf Tweeten, Chairman & CEO of Alliance Hospitality. “One step inside this completely new hotel brand, and our guests will be delighted with a unique experience of sight, sound, scent and extraordinary service that Alliance Hospitality ‘talent’ is known for in the hospitality industry.”

The projects are among 10 hotels expected to open this year for Starwood’s latest brand.

After a year of tremendous growth that made it one of the fastest and most successful hospitality industry launches ever, Aloft Hotels this week announced expansion plans for key global markets from Brussels to Bangalore—and one of Aloft’s first New York City properties, in downtown Brooklyn.

Aloft, a Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. brand, is set to open 10 new hotels in the coming year, with half of its 2010 pipeline consisting of international properties. With nearly 40 hotels open since its June 2008 debut, the Aloft brand became the talk of the hospitality industry by going global while in launch mode, opening China’s Aloft Beijing Haidian and Aloft Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in the brand’s first 15 months.

“The Aloft brand is an important source of fuel for Starwood’s strategic, global expansion, with owners, developers and guests embracing the game-changing concept,” said Simon Turner, pPresident of global development. “The brand, which has an existing presence in four countries, is at a pivotal point in its growth cycle and is poised to continue to break new ground in 2010 as it debuts in India and Europe, while further establishing its presence in the U.S. and China.”

Created to offer an alternative to the traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, the Aloft brand delivers style at a steal, with urban-influenced, modern, open and vibrant design – and a social guest experience – all at an affordable price point. In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena a decade ago, Aloft is shaking up the industry for the next generation of traveler.

“Along with sharp design, smart technology, and accessible price points, there’s a genuine buzz inside Aloft properties that’s been appealing to guests around the world,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Starwood’s specialty select brands. “The energy of Aloft matches the dynamic business environments where we’re expanding.”

This year, three Aloft hotels will open in India alone, where the corporate travel market is estimated at more than US$3 billion by Business Traveler magazine. The Aloft brand plans properties for Chennai, India’s fifth-largest city and its second-largest exporter of software and infotech; Bangalore, the “Silicon Valley” of India; and Coimbatore, one of India’s fastest-growing cities and a powerhouse in textiles and engineering.

Europe’s first Aloft hotel will open its doors in Brussels, near the heart of the Belgian capital and European Union hub. And stateside, the Aloft brand will open two New York City properties—one in the Big Apple’s Brooklyn and the other in the heart of Harlem.