Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened its tallest St. Regis property last week in Shenzhen, China, with plans to continue its global expansion in 2012.

Following recent openings in Bangkok, Tianjin and Sanya Yalong Bay, The St. Regis Shenzhen marks the brand’s fourth hotel opening in Asia in the last six months.

The St. Regis now occupies floors 72-100 of the landmark Kingkey 100 building, the tallest building in the city.

International hotel chain Starwood has announced the reopening of a landmark Florence hotel, complete with a suite from top designer label Bottega Veneta.

The St Regis Florence, originally the Grand Hotel Florence, has been treated to a ten-month restoration which has seen significant interior changes to the 18th century palace, ranked among the city’s most significant buildings.

The hotel boasts 81 rooms and 19 suites, decorated by local artisans and including antique furniture such as hand-carved gold leaf frames and crystal chandeliers.

Starwood’s Preferred Guest program has topped a list of the ‘best value’ reward programs from US website NextAdvisor.

Preferred Guest, a loyalty program which rewards hotel guests for their stays in Starwood-operated brands such as W Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien and St Regis, offered a worth of $0.021 per point when redeemed for a hotel stay.

It isvconsiderably higher than competing programs such as Marriott Rewards and Hilton HHonors, whose points were worth $0.008 and $0.005 respectively.

The St. Regis New York has unveiled a one-of-a-kind Tiffany Suite on its 14th floor – a marriage of the classic Tiffany look with the glamour of the St. Regis.

The Tiffany Suite consists of an entryway foyer, one bedroom, two full baths, a large dining room and a living room complete with a fireplace and large windows overlooking Fifth Avenue up towards Central Park.

The 1,700-square-foot suite features neutrals such as whites, beiges, charcoal gray and silver accented with the signature Tiffany blue.

The St. Regis New York has created the St. Regis New York E-Butler, an app allowing guests and the public alike access to the hotel’s butlers and concierges.

The St. Regis New York E-Butler is a modern twist on traditional butler service, providing guests with the world renowned St. Regis service at the touch of a button.

This application offers guests the ability to “chat” directly with their butler in real-time, arranging all of the important details of their visit to the city instantly.