I will see just about anything that anybody who
practices law can see, just by virtue of the global reach
and social responsibility of the company,” Siegel says.
Bedouin tent was pitched. “We’re being
served tea,” Siegel says, “and we’re seeing
all these demonstrations of falconry as well
as watching TV on multiple TV sets. At 3
o’clock in the morning, one of the younger
members of our team said, ‘Saudi Arabian
hospitality is such that they will never ask
you to leave.’” He laughs heartily at the
gaffe now. “Finally we realized that it’s
up to us to determine our departure time,
otherwise we would still be there.”
There is no shortage of international
experiences for Siegel as the company
continues to expand. “With properties in
nearly 100 countries, Starwood is no longer
an American company that happens to
run some hotels overseas,” says Starwood
President and CEO Frits van Paasschen.
“Today, we’re a global company that
happens to be based in New York. Eighty
percent of our future pipeline is outside
of North America, and nowhere is more
emblematic of our global growth than
China, where we will open one hotel every
two weeks this year.”
“With our rapid growth in emerging
markets,” says Siegel, “we are often
going into locations ahead of robust legal
systems and have to anticipate legal
and operational issues in our contracts.
In many cases, the entire concept of
property ownership is either new or
doesn't exist. We need to create our own
dispute resolution mechanisms and
worry about enforcement. … Many times
the hotel owners with which we work are
agencies of the local government. Getting
them to agree to abide by U.S. laws or to
participate in neutral dispute resolution
can be a challenge.”
Operating hotels on foreign soil means
Starwood must work hard to ensure that
each location still exudes the identity
travelers expect from a particular brand.
“We don’t just rent a hotel room,” Siegel
says. “We provide a ‘branded’ experience,
which varies depending on which of our
hotels you stay in.” Each of Starwood’s
brands (St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®,
W® Hotels, Westin®, Le Méridien®,
Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton,
Aloft® and ElementSM) has a distinct
personality. From the exterior appearance
and layout of rooms to services provided
and fragrances diffused in lobbies via
ScentAir machines (“White Tea” in Westin
and “Welcoming Warmth” in Sheraton, for
example), everything is geared to create
a branded atmosphere that remains the
same whether a guest checks in at a hotel
in downtown Chicago or Cairo.
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