Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) and Starwood Hotels and Resorts have announced the appointment of experienced hotelier, Stephan Vanden Auweele as the General Manager of the first Aloft hotel in the Middle East (ME) region. Belgian born hotelier Mr Vanden Auweele, who has extensive experience in opening and managing hotels around the world, will spearhead the innovative 4-star hotel, which is currently under construction. Fully integrated into the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the 408 room hotel will complement the striking architecture of the new venue and will provide the ideal ‘home away from home’ for exhibitors, exhibition visitors and, in the near future, Capital Centre business professionals. Aloft will ‘recharge’ and ‘refuel’, guests with a perfect combination of urban attitude, modern simplicity with home-like comforts, accessible state-of-the-art technology, healthy food options including a 24/7 ‘grab and go’ pantry in the lobby, and fitness and pool facilities. “A cutting edge hotel, such as Aloft, requires a manager with vision and Vanden Auweele has proven his ability to steer hotels into popularity and profitability. Through his management, we expect the Aloft, to become a preferred local and regional destination for business and leisure travellers, especially to those visiting our exhibitions, conferences and live events,” said Simon Horgan, CEO of ADNEC Group. Guido De Wilde, VP & Regional Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East, added: “Besides the distinct nature of the Aloft brand itself, a differentiating factor for this project is the acquisition of the best people for the job. With Vanden Auweele’s appointment, all the elements are now in place for us to develop an exciting hotel which promises to change the face of local and regional hotel services - from our key partnership with ADNEC, our location in one of the most vibrant economic areas on earth, a fresh ‘customer convenience’ approach, to the placement of dependable personnel.”

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