Over 100 aloft hotel deals in the works and Starwood's Newest Brand ''Project ESW'', secures nine applications just days after its launch.

One year after debuting its stylish aloft Hotels, a W Hotels-inspired product designed as a refreshing oasis in the stodgy select service segment, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. revealed today that the company has more than 100 deals in the works.

According to Starwood and aloft executives attending the New York University International Hospitality Investment Conference, the aloft brand has secured 30 applications in markets such as Chicago; Boston; Washington DC; Toronto; Charlotte; Baltimore; Brooklyn; Minneapolis; Tempe; Lexington, MA; Mount Laurel, NJ; Charleston, SC; Chantilly, VA and Lincolnshire, IL.

Starwood also said that less than one week after launching its newest concept, "Project ESW", an extended stay brand grounded in Westin's renewal philosophy, the company has received nine franchise applications in markets which include Baltimore; Philadelphia; BWI Airport; Pittsburgh; Toronto; Arundel County, MD; and Lake Buena Vista, FL plus corporate deals in San Francisco and Lexington, MA.

According to Ted Darnall, President of Starwood's Real Estate Group, there are 30 aloft deals at the application stage, and over 100 aloft Uniform Franchise Offering Circulars (UFOCs) have been requested. The company plans to break ground later this year on aloft hotels at Philadelphia Airport and in Lexington, Massachusetts. Starwood remains committed to having more than 500 aloft hotels by 2015.

"The development community has been clamoring for a breakthrough product like aloft that can be easily introduced in mature markets and command a price premium," said Darnall. "We've worked hard with the development community to refine our product and make it both developer-friendly and a wow for our guests, and subsequently our first hotel will be a 'Generation 3' product right from the get go."

As aloft begins to roll out domestically, Starwood is also pursuing deals outside the United States, where international developers have shown a keen interest in developing the new brand. Starwood is currently developing multiple prototypes for global markets and plans to have these complete by the end of the year. Starwood's international development teams are currently negotiating documents on a series of joint-ventures, each for the development of multiple projects in major markets, and evaluating managed and franchised opportunities in primary markets within such countries as China, Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, France and India.

"Project ESW" Launches with Momentum

Darnall said that "the phones have been ringing" since Starwood revealed plans for its new "Project ESW," an upper upscale extended stay product featuring sophisticated, smart residential design coupled with signature products and services designed to renew and refresh including a gourmet pantry, extra large fitness centers, and an active lobby scene. The company will share plans and renderings of "Project ESW" with more than 50 major developers during the New York University International Hospitality Investment Conference.

"The fact that we already have nine applications less than a week after our formal announcement and before we even announce the name speaks to developer demand for a high end, quality, new build product that builds upon Westin's phenomenal success in the upper-upscale arena," said Darnall.

150 markets have been identified as target markets for "Project ESW" and Starwood anticipates executing at least 25 agreements per year over the next five years.