One of the largest hotel groups in the United States, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, would open a hotel at the Futian Free Trade Zone in Shenzhen City at the end of this month, the group said Tuesday.

Another hotel under the group would also open at the new city center in Futian by the end of next year.

Twenty years after reaching a milestone by being the first international company to sign a management contract in China with the Sheraton brand, Starwood continues to lead as the largest international hotel operator in China.

The group planned to add 11 new hotels to the existing portfolio of 18 hotels in China by 2008.

On opening, the new hotels will provide an additional 4,044 rooms to the Starwood portfolio in key and emerging business and resort destinations in China, bringing Starwood's total upscale guest room inventory in China to 12,139.

The Fupeng Sheraton in the Futian Free Trade Zone will be the first Four Points by Sheraton in China, with about 300 rooms.

It is only a 10-minute walk from the new Hong Kong-Shenzhen border crossing to be completed in 2006. It takes about 30 minutes from the Shenzhen airport.

The Dazhonghua Sheraton in the new city center, just opposite to the Citizens' Center, will be a five-star hotel with 320 rooms.

(Shenzhen Daily December 8, 2004)