Construction started this week on the new Sheraton Malpensa Airport hotel located near Milan's Malpensa airport in northern Italy. Italy's Degennaro group, which owns the site through its construction unit DEC, expects the 440-room hotel facility to be completed in January 2010. Total investment for the property, which is adjacent to Milan airport's main building, is estimated at EUR 60 mln. Starwood Hotels & Resorts will manage the hotel.

Construction started this week on the new Sheraton Malpensa Airport hotel located near Milan's Malpensa airport in northern Italy. Italy's Degennaro group, which owns the site through its construction unit DEC, expects the 440-room hotel facility to be completed in January 2010. Total investment for the property, which is adjacent to Milan airport's main building, is estimated at EUR 60 mln. Starwood Hotels & Resorts will manage the hotel.

Designed by the well-known architect King Roselli, the Malpensa Sheraton will be an eye-catching building resembling an airplane. A curved steel and glass structure will house the main entrance, providing direct access to the airport. Two lateral wings will flank the hotel, housing the hotel's guest rooms. The hotel will also provide conference facilities of 2,200 m2.

This is Starwood's third franchise agreement with the Degennaro group following the Sheraton Nicolaus in Bari, which opened in 1990, Patria Palace in Lecce, a Luxury Collection agreement signed in December 1997 and Four Points by Sheraton west of Rome, signed in February 2001.

The hospitality chain has 12 other Sheraton sites in Italy.