Starwood Hotels and Resorts has appointed Klaus Niefer as the complex general manager for the group's two new hotels - The Westin and Le Meridien at the Bahrain City Centre.

Niefer, a German national, joins the team from The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa, where he was the general manager from 2010 and managed the pre-opening and launch of the golf resort, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Prior to this, Niefer was deputy general manager at Le Meridien Abu Dhabi.

With a career in the hospitality industry spanning 30 years and three continents, Niefer has worked in several five-star properties in Germany, Australia, the Philippines and China.

“Having lived in the Middle East for few years I'm happy to move to Bahrain,” Niefer said.

“The kingdom is known as a welcoming and friendly place and I'm eagerly waiting to meet the locals and expatriates alike, and discover everything that the island has to offer.

“I look forward to introducing The Westin's winning approach to well-being and Le Meridien's contemporary lifestyle approach through the arts, culture and cuisine, to the local community and international travellers to Manama,' he said.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts opened The Westin and Le Meridien on July 1.

Directly connected to the Bahrain City Centre, the two hotels marked the launch of The Westin and Le Meridien brands in the country, and added 460 rooms to the group's portfolio in Bahrain, including Bahrain's first Heavenly Spa by The Westin. - TradeArabia News Service