Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Inc. HOT announced the launch of its luxury brand – The St. Regis – in the cluster of islands at Langkawi, Malaysia. The hotel, named as The St. Regis Langkawi, is owned by Integrated Nautical Resort Sdn Bhd (INR) – a joint venture between the Rajawali Group and the Government of Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance. This marks the opening of the first luxury resort in the last ten years in Langkawi and also the debut of the St. Regis brand in Malaysia. The sprawling resort has 4 private villas and 85 lavish suites, all of which have been designed to suit different tastes and budgets. The getaway is situated on a picturesque white sand beach overlooking a lagoon, which unites with the Andaman Sea. The resort is also strategically positioned and is only a stone’s throw away from the Langkawi International Airport. The hotel has six restaurant and bar venues which offer cuisines from around the world. The retreat also offers a wide range of relaxation services like spa, salon, swimming pool, natural-salt water lagoon and a well-equipped gymnasium. The St. Regis Langkawi is a large private event space as well, offering a gorgeous outdoor wedding venue, a pre-function area, and six meeting and event locations. The ballroom is equipped with the latest technology and has personalized catering options on offer. Starwood, with its St Regis Brand, currently operates 37 hotels and is striving to capitalize on the rising demand for luxury hotels in Asia. The company is also focused on increasing the number of hotels to 50 by 2020. This will help the hotelier capitalize on the improving economic prospects and supply shortages in emerging markets. Starwood currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Better-ranked stocks in the same sector are Red Lion Hotels Corporation RLH and Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. VAC, both of which carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). In the broader consumer discretionary sector, Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS, which also carries a Zacks Rank #2, can be considered. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report LAS VEGAS SANDS (LVS): Free Stock Analysis Report STARWOOD HOTELS (HOT): Free Stock Analysis Report RED LION HOTELS (RLH): Free Stock Analysis Report MARRIOT VAC WW (VAC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research