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Last weekend, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: HOT), celebrated its expansion in Dubai with two special occasions rooted in the luxury brand's rich heritage. The first-ever St. Regis hotel to open in Dubai was celebrated with a live jazz performance by world-renowned artist Jamie Cullum along with the St. Regis International Polo Cup, which paves the way for the brand's very first polo resort, set to open in 2017.

Throughout the Jazz Age, the roof ballroom at the iconic St. Regis New York played host to a few of the most precious artists with unforgettable efficiencies from jazz greats like Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Buddy Rich. The expansive tradition of Jazz Legends at St. Regis shows continues with Cullum as the brand name's recently appointed St. Regis Connoisseur. Known for his innovative method to jazz, Cullum invited the just recently opened St. Regis property in Dubai with an intimate set for some 200 people on March 31st.

The following day, on April 1st, St. Regis hosted the annual St. Regis International Cup (SRIC) in the Middle East for the first time in 9 years. The match was held on the premises of the extremely anticipated St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, which will be the very first St. Regis polo resort when it opens in 2017.

SRIC was the final match of the Dubai Challenge Cup 2016 tournament, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and part of the distinguished Dubai Gold Cup series. In a tightly contested match, Saaed Bin Drai led his Bin Drai polo group to victory versus the Habtoor polo team with 8 goals to 7.

In addition, The Bentley Polo Cup match happened as part of the SRIC matches within the subsidiary Dubai Challenge Cup 2016. This, the opening game of the St. Regis 'Day Of Polo' saw Edrees and Wolves polo groups go head-to-head in a perky contest, with Wolves winning by one goal in additional time. The global partnership between Bentley Motors and St. Regis underpins the heritage and quality of the brands by creating trademark experiences for visitors who may choose to stay in custom-made Bentley Suites, presently readily available just at The St. Regis Dubai, The St. Regis New York and The St. Regis Istanbul.

"Both jazz and polo are important to the St. Regis legacy, providing our guests genuinely memorable minutes. Whether it is taking pleasure in Jamie Cullum admire jazz legends or seeing the 'Sport of Kings' with our polo occasions, we aim to record standard elegance through the lens of contemporary high-end," stated Jim Petrus, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. "Late last year, we opened the very first St. Regis home in Dubai and by 2018 we will open two more hotels in this dynamic destination, making St. Regis among the fastest growing high-end hotel brand names in the region.".

The St. Regis brand debuted in the Middle East in 2011 and has actually since quickly broadened to 4 hotels in the region with buildings in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The most recent addition, The St. Regis Dubai, is part of the highly expected Al Habtoor City advancement, Starwood's biggest hospitality project in the Middle East, which include 2 other Starwood hotels under the unique W Hotels and Westin brand names.

Next year will mark another 'first' for the brand name with the launching of the inaugural St. Regis polo resort, The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. This will be followed by The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm which is slated to open in 2018 and will feature a 360-degree infinity swimming pool on the 50th floor. By the end of 2018, Dubai will be the only city on the planet to provide 3 St. Regis buildings, highlighting the demand for high-end hotel accommodation in the UAE.

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