St. Regis Champions Speed & Sport at Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament

BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Regis Hotels & Resorts participated in the highly competitive Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament on September 18 to 23, 2012 as USA team sponsor and official hotel sponsor, together with Royal Salute and Tang Polo Club.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/CN80457-a)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120925/CN80457-b)

The international polo teams competing in the tournament included Royal Salute China team, King Power Thailand team, Ratio England team, Coco Republic Australia team, and the St. Regis USA team captained by St. Regis Connoisseur, and renowned polo player Ignacio 'Nacho' Figueras.  Participation in this tournament is illustrative of St. Regis' commitment to the international sport of polo in China, and numerous destinations around the world.

The highly anticipated international polo matches during the Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament were part of a thrilling five day series culminating in The Argentine Cup match played on Saturday 22nd and the finals of the Open on Sunday 23rd September, in front of almost 2,000 spectators.

St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras said, "It has been both an honor and a pleasure to captain the St. Regis USA team in the Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Polo Open Tournament over the last five days.  This is my first experience in China and it has been hugely rewarding - I am pleased to have had this incredible opportunity to play polo in front of really enthusiastic crowds.  Polo in China has a very rich history, and it is exciting to be part of the journey to restore its relevance to spectators today.  I am looking forward to my return!"

Over 300 VIP guests watched the matches from the St. Regis VIP marquee delivered by The St. Regis Beijing, where guests enjoyed the  St. Regis rendition of Afternoon Tea , complete with all the beloved trimmings.  Lively conversation, elegant jazz music and mesmerizing match play were complemented by the St. Regis signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary, first concocted at the original St. Regis Hotel in New York over 75 years ago. Aside from the signature Bloody Mary, VIP guests enjoyed the St. Regis Polo Mary, Great Wall Mary and Bentley Black Mary– special blends created by The St. Regis Beijing.

The St. Regis Beijing hosted international polo players and invited VIP guests during their stay at the Chinese Capital for the Royal Salute Gold Cup 2012 China Open Polo Tournament.

"Our participation as Team Sponsor and Official Hotel Sponsor at this tournament by Tang Polo Club and Royal Salute is a successful initiative to help promote St. Regis polo legacy in China. As we further propel the growth of the St. Regis experience in China, with current properties in Beijing, Lhasa, Sanya, Shenzhen, and Tianjin, we are delighted to be actively involved with China's growing polo scene especially since our Polo Connoisseur, Nacho Figueras is playing in the St. Regis sponsored team." said Fay-Linn Yeoh, Director, St. Regis and Luxury Collection, Starwood Asia Pacific. 

St. Regis has long been associated with polo, the 'Sport of Kings', since the turn of the last century when matches on Manhattan's Governors Island were the highlight of the New York social calendar – and the St. Regis' founding family, the Astor's, were a prominent fixture.  Indeed, John Jacob Astor IV opened the first St. Regis hotel in New York in 1904 in the same year that matches between dashing army officers became highlights of high society's summer scene.

Today St. Regis works in close partnership with some of the world's leading luxury brands such as Bentley to build a following within the sport of polo amongst its patrons and spectators. . St. Regis Polo is a part of the brand's unique aficionado programs designed to provide guests exclusive access to exceptional experiences.

For more information on the St. Regis brand's exclusive polo offerings and events, please visit www.stregis.com/polo.  

About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

Combining classic sophistication with a modern sensibility, St. Regis is committed to delivering exceptional experiences at over 30 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Since the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago by John Jacob Astor IV,  the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by signature St. Regis Butler Service. From Bal Harbour to Bangkok, Saadiyat Island to Shenzhen, the St. Regis brand caters to a new generation of luxury travelers and continues to thoughtfully build its portfolio in the most sought after destinations at the heart of today's grand tour. Plans for the brand to expand its legacy include much-anticipated St. Regis Hotels & Resorts in the Riviera Maya and in Asia, where St. Regis has announced plans to open hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lijiang, Nanjing, New Delhi and Zhuhai. Additionally in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, St. Regis will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Dubai and Mauritius. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.stregis.com, to explore our recent debuts visit www.stregis.com/newgrandtour and for the privilege of residential ownership, please visit www.stregis.com/residences.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,112 properties in nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis^®, The Luxury Collection^®, W^®, Westin^®, Le Méridien^®, Sheraton^®, Four Points^® by Sheraton, Aloft^®, and Element^SM. The Company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com. 

Issued by Grebstad Hicks Communications on behalf of St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

SOURCE St. Regis Hotels & Resorts