SAMSUN, TURKEY—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. says it has signed an agreement with Tanriverdi Mensucat Sanayii A.S. to open a newly- constructed Sheraton hotel in Samsun.

Scheduled to open in late 2014, Sheraton Samsun Hotel will mark Starwood's entry into the emerging city and will be the company's 11th hotel in Turkey. The Sheraton brand continues to grow around the globe and remains on track to open its 500th hotel by 2015.

“I would like to thank the Tanriverdi family for putting their trust in Starwood and the Sheraton brand as we enter into our first hotel development together with the Sheraton Samsun hotel,” said Michael Wale, president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Our innovative approach to managing lifestyle brands continues to set us apart from the competition and, with the signing of this agreement, we are proud to debut Starwood and the Sheraton brand in the emerging city of Samsun, further underlining our commitment to expansion in Turkey.”

"Sheraton Samsun Hotel will be the first international five-star, and also the largest, hotel in Samsun, marking a milestone in the city," said Recep Tanriverdi, chairman of the board, Tanriverdi Group of Companies. "We are excited to work with Starwood to bring the world-renowned Sheraton brand to Samsun as it continues to grow as an important business, industry and transport hub."

Sheraton Samsun Hotel will be located in the heart of Samsun on the Black Sea coast, three kilometers from the city center and 25 kilometers from Samsun Carsamba Airport. The hotel will feature 200 guest rooms and 20 suites, all with scenic views of the Black Sea. The 29-storey hotel will be the largest hotel and the tallest building in Samsun. The hotel is being designed by Turkish architectural firm, Piramit Mimarlik, together with Istanbul-based interior designer, Kreatif Mimarlik.

The hotel will feature an all-day dining venue, a specialty restaurant, a lobby bar, as well as a rooftop bar and lounge. Sheraton Samsun Hotel is set to become the choice gathering place for business travelers, offering extensive modern meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom, 10 meeting rooms and a business center.

Signature Sheraton experiences will include the all-white Sweet Sleeper beds, the Sheraton Club Rooms and Lounge, the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft and Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance, designed exclusively for Sheraton guests through its partner Core Performance. The hotel will also offer the signature Sheraton Shine Spa with 10 treatment rooms, an indoor swimming pool and retail shops.

Home to the largest and busiest Turkish port on the Black Sea, the city of Samsun is positioned to become an important and strategic center for trade, medical and natural gas industries, as well as international and domestic transportation networks.

Starwood has nine hotels in Turkey under five of its lifestyle brands, including four hotels in Istanbul. Earlier this year, the company entered Bursa with the Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa Hotel, marking the entry of the fast-growing Aloft Hotels brand into Turkey. Later this year, Starwood will open its 10th hotel in Turkey with the Sheraton Adana Hotel, making Turkey one of the largest markets in Europe for the Sheraton brand.

“Sheraton continues to be a popular choice for owners and developers in both primary and secondary markets, and has long been recognized as a pioneer in new markets around the globe,” added Bart Carnahan, SVP, Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Turkey is an important growth market for Starwood and we continue to look for the right expansion opportunities.

Instant Insights /

Starwood Hotels to Expand Footprint in Turkey with Planned Samsun Hotel

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