Aloft Hotels has confirmed the appointment of Julia Harnischfeger the general manager of Aloft London ExCeL ahead of its opening later this year.

The hotel will mark the debut of Starwood Hotels’ Aloft brand in the UK when it opens on October 31st 2011.

Harnischfeger began her career with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2007 as the first Six Sigma Manager for Le Méridien Piccadilly and the former Café Royal in London.

In January 2009, she was promoted to the role of director of operational innovation for Starwood’s England hotels where she was responsible for six hotels across four brands.

Before joining Starwood, German-born Harnischfeger worked from 2001 as an analyst for Conrad Hotels at their global head office in Brussels. 

Reporting to Colin Bennett, area manager England, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Harnischfeger will now manage the 252-room Aloft London ExCeL hotel.

Set to open in autumn 2011, the Aloft London ExCeL will bring its innovative design, accessible technology and urban style to East London in advance of the London Olympics in 2012.

Colin Bennett said of the announcement: “Julia brings enormous passion and organisation to everything that she does and is also able to instil these behaviours in others. 

“It is these traits that will ensure success as we launch the first Aloft hotel in the United Kingdom.”

City.Mobi

Also in Europe today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.