Starwood to Build New Hotel in Samsun, Turkey

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

İbrahim Tanıverdi, Recep Tanrıverdi (chairmen of the Board, Tanriverdi Group of Cos.), Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz (mayor of Samsun) and Thomas Willms (VP, regional director – East and Central Europe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts)

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., has signed an agreement with Tanriverdi Mensucat Sanayii A.S., to open a new-build Sheraton hotel in Samsun, Turkey to debut late 2014.

The 29-story Sheraton Samsun Hotel will be Starwood’s 11th hotel in the country, but first in the emerging city of Samsun.

“The city of Samsun is home to the largest and busiest Turkish port on the Black Sea and an important and strategic center for trade, medical and natural gas industries, as well as international and domestic transportation networks,” Murat Yilmaz, senior director acquisitions & development, Europe, Africa & Middle East, Starwood Hotels & Resorts told Commercial Property Executive. “The 29-storey Sheraton Samsun Hotel is set to become a landmark as the tallest building in the city and the largest hotel.”

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.

“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,” Michael Wale, Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ president, Europe, Africa & Middle East, said in a company statement.

Sheraton Samsun Hotel is expected 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. It will also feature an all-day dining venue, a specialty restaurant, a lobby bar, and a rooftop bar and lounge. Then there’s the signature Sheraton Shine Spa with 10 treatment rooms, an indoor swimming pool and retail shops.

According to Yilmaz, Turkey is an important growth market for Starwood. Earlier this year, Starwood entered Bursa with the Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa Hotel, marking the entry of the fast-growing Aloft Hotels brand into Turkey. Later, it will open the Sheraton Adana Hotel, making Turkey one of the largest markets in Europe for the Sheraton brand.

The hotel is being designed by Turkish architectural firm, Piramit Mimarlik, together with Istanbul-based interior designer, Kreatif Mimarlik, and is set to be the tallest building in the city.

“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, Tanriverdi Group of Cos.’ chairman of the board. “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.”