bhrubin

I realize that Starwood's focus is on growing its midscale/upscale property coverage...but I am wondering where St. Regis might expand its reach in the coming years.

After all, there are 11 new properties to open in China alone, even as there are only 11 total in the USA. Other than Italy, there are only 2 in major European capitals.

As a fan of the brand, I am hoping St. Regis acquires properties in the following cities. I wonder where others might think St. Regis should add properties?

Appropriate US/Canadian cities:

1. Los Angeles
2. Chicago
3. Toronto
4. Boston
5. Honolulu

Appropriate European cities:

1. London
2. Paris
3, Zurich
4. Geneva
5. Berlin

Appropriate Asian/Pacific cities:

1. Tokyo
2. Hong Kong
3. Seoul
4. Shanghai
5. Sydney
6. Delhi

Appropriate South American cities:

1. Sao Paolo
2. Buenos Aires
3. Rio de Janeiro (though W may be more appropriate)

Appropriate African cities:

1. Johannesburg
2. Cape Town (though W may be more appropriate)

Bolding seems to be the biggest holes in the St. Regis coverage IMO.

RafKa

I have a booking in October for the one in Mumbai, which is a reflag.

IIRC they broke ground on the one in Buenos Aires, in Puerto Madero, but by 2011 plans were abandoned.

With the way the Chinese economy seems to be slowing down, I wonder if any of those 11 properties on the way in China will also be put on hold.

bhrubin

Yes, I'm very curious to see how the Mumbai St. Regis reflag turns out. Hopefully you can do a TR!

I suspect the Argentine peso collapse hasn't encouraged much development in BA--by anyone. But I am surprised that Sao Paolo--the center of South America's largest economy--hasn't seen more interest.

The Chinese gov't has a hand in the financing/ownership of many (if not most) of the StR properties, including Beijing and Lhasa. So I would assume they will continue, barring some major crash. That also may be why StR got such the upper hand in so many cities vs everywhere else in the world.

Europe and the USA are the toughest propositions. Most likely any new StRs will be reflags or brand absorptions (like the Crillon with Rosewood) since new construction is less likely and so expensive. Except maybe Los Angeles that is begging for a high rise StR in or near its booming downtown.

Mangus

Sydney, London and Paris are obvious blanks. Other locations in Australia too, such as by the Reef, also seem ripe.

I'm looking forward to the St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya scheduled to open in 2018. An easy flight from east coast USA

bhrubin

I think the Reef is unlikely if not a bad idea. StR resorts are all in well established resort locales with massive population draws. The Great Barrier offers extremely limited opportunities for development; the chances that ownership of a new island property would turn to StR when there is no StR presence in Australia already makes that highly unlikely IMO. Park Hyatt would have a better shot, and even then it's extremely unlikely.

(That's why I think PH is getting the new property in Auckland.)

Even from the west coast USA, we're looking forward to that one. Hoping they have some private plunge pools, too.

FD1971

Schörghuber is working hard to establish the St. Regis Munich, but even for a guy of his Status, the legal hurdles set up by a major competitor ( the mighty Bayerischer Hof ) are hard to overcome, so the end of the decade is doable in case he can convince the right people in Munich.

jaejaez

I say the product managers of St. Regis improve the consistency and delivery of the St. Regis experience amongst their existing properties first before spreading out too much.

Just my two cents.

Toula

I thought there was going to be a St Regis In Honolulu as part of the redevelopment of the Princess Kal./Itnternational Market.

fakeman

There is one coming to Macau very soon (originally it says opening August 2012, now postponed to December 2015).

The services of Osaka one already blown me away, would be happy to see it in other Japan cities, but I hope there can be one in Kyushu, as the west most SPG is Sheraton Hiroshima only, one St.R in Kyushu (resort area) probably a good idea.

Forstbetrieb

You mean the Schörghuber group?! Stefan Schörghuber is dead.

bhrubin

I hadn't heard that...but then I did find this from Jan 2014:

http://www.hvs.com/Jump/Article/Download.aspx?id=6722

But the project seems delayed/uncertain as of Dec 2014:

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/b...l?id=247846801

So it is possible that St. Regis may get a Honolulu property...but it doesn't yet sound confirmed. Let's cross our fingers.

Forstbetrieb

Duplicate...

FD1971

Exactly, Starwood's major partner in Germany.

While I do not mind a new Aloft in Munich, a StR would be appreciated as well.

KosherKimchee

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort - Opening April 1, 2016.

brightaxis

Hitting up the W Maldives in Jan 2016 for my honeymoon. Would've picked St. Regis if it was open by Jan 2016!

Oh well.