24 Jul 2015
Le Méridien Debuts a First in Travel as New Family Programming Focus Kicks Off
NEW YORK – July 2015 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced a global partnership between Le Méridien Hotels and the LEGO® Group to offer a complimentary Welcome Amenity to children checking-in to any of its more than 100 hotels and resorts worldwide. Just in time for the summer family travel season, children up to age 12 will be greeted with a complimentary LEGO toy to enjoy during their stay and take home as a keepsake from their travels.
"Travel broadens a child's perspective of the world, expanding inherently curious and creative-minds,” said Brian Povinelli, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Leader for Le Méridien and Westin. “Our exclusive partnership with the LEGO Group encourages families to unlock their destination through imaginative free play, strengthening bonds and creating memories that are sure to last, and the LEGO amenity sets the tone for this upon arrival at our hotels.”
The LEGO Welcome Amenity is the first feature that will be offered in the brand wide, multi-faceted Le Méridien Family program, which will debut this fall. Le Méridien Family will focus on illuminating, immersive and inventive experiences for the entire family, to ignite imaginations on-property and unlock the local destination for both parents and children.
"At the LEGO Group, creativity and exploration are essential, and we recognized in Le Méridien a similar spirit and mentality,” said Soren Borup, Senior Product Manager for Merchandise & Promotions, the LEGO Group. “We are pleased to partner with this global hotel brand to offer their exclusive Welcome Amenity for families, enabling more children across the world to get a hands-on LEGO building experience.”
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About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts
Le Méridien , the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by more than 100 properties in over 35 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. With more than 75 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood's then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation and redefined brand strategy. Through partnerships with some of the world's most creative minds, Le Méridien has transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique, interactive and curated experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating on markets in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Columbus (Ohio, USA), Charlotte (North Carolina, USA), Indianapolis (Indiana, USA), New Orleans, Chicago, Tampa (Florida, USA), Cairo, Bahrain, Bali, Atlanta, Oran (Algeria), Zhengzhou (China), Thimphu (Bhutan), Gurgaon (India), Mahabaleshwar (India), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Suvarnabhumi (Thailand), and plans to open in Paro (Bhutan), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Qingdao (China), Leshan (China), and Putrajaya (Malaysia). For more information, please visit www.leméridien .com or www.facebook.com/leMéridien . Follow @LeMéridienHotels on Instagram and Twitter.
About LEGO
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company with headquarters in Billund, Denmark, and main offices in Enfield, USA, London, UK, Shanghai, China, and Singapore. Founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and based on the iconic LEGO® brick, it is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials. Guided by the company spirit: "Only the best is good enough”, the company is committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold worldwide and can be virtually explored at www.LEGO.com.
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