Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. represented in Malta by The Westin Dragonara Resort and Le Meridien St Julian’s, announced recently that the company has reached an important milestone in its history, opening its 1,000th hotel and resort. Starwood’s 1,000th hotel is the Sheraton Qiandao Lake Resort located on the shores of China’s famed Qiandao Lake, also, aptly known as the Lake of Thousand Islands.

Beyond its 1,000th hotel, Starwood expects to open 80-100 additional hotels this year - 70 per cent of which will be outside the United States, with the majority in Asia Pacific. In China, Starwood is slated to open more than 20 hotels this year. Growth is also accelerating in India where Starwood already has 26 hotels and plans to increase its portfolio by 60 per cent by the end of 2012.

Located in Chun’an county of Hangzhou, Qiandao Lake is 140km from downtown Hangzhou. The 250-room Sheraton Qiandao Lake Resort is located on the scenic lakeshore of Qiandao Lake, a popular tourist destination for mountain climbing, cycling and other outdoor activities. The pure waters of the lake flow directly from the Yellow Mountain Range, and the region is China’s largest state forest park, spanning almost 1,000 square kilometers. Qiandao Lake is well known as home to “the Atlantis of the East”, the 1,800-year-old remains of an ancient Chinese city, an archeological treasure submerged beneath the water. The city walls and architecture have remained preserved and are heralded as some of the most substantial sunken artifacts in the world.

Sheraton Qiandao Lake Resort is also introducing a revolutionary new health and fitness programme, Sheraton Fitness, Programmed by Core Performance. Created in partnership with Core Performance, a training and lifestyle brand built by the experts who train professional athletes in every major sport, the programme helps travellers train and eat healthy while on the road, as well as refresh, recharge and refocus their minds and bodies. This comprehensive offering features a state-of-the-art gym experience and healthy dining options. In addition, the first Shine Spa by Sheraton in Greater China will debut at Sheraton Qiandao Lake Resort in August. Shine Spa is designed to facilitate the fundamental need to revitalize when travelling. Sheraton guests will enjoy being pampered with Shine Spa’s exclusive treatments, inviting aromas and professional spa consultants in the Sheraton brand’s signature warm and welcoming atmosphere.