Wyndham Hotel Group International announced plans to expand the Wyndham brand in China with the construction of a 337-room, 15-story luxury hotel in Shanghai.

The Wyndham Baolian Hotel, scheduled to open in April 2010, is being developed by Shanghai Baolian Real Estate Company Ltd in the city's Baoshan district.

Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses more than 6,550 hotels and 551,000 rooms in 59 countries on six continents under 10 brands.

Weijie Zhu, principal owner and president of Shanghai Baolian Real Estate Company Ltd, signed a 10-year agreement with Wyndham Hotel Group International to manage the property.

The hotel will feature four full-service restaurants; two bars; lobby lounge; nightclub; Wyndham Blue Harmony (TM) spa and fitness center; swimming pool; business center; and 1,650 square meters of meeting space including a 1,000-square-meter ballroom, boardroom and additional function rooms.

The Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand is scheduled to make its debut in the Asia Pacific region during the fourth quarter this year with the opening of a newly constructed, 609-room luxury hotel in Xiamen, Fujian province. The Wyndham Xiamen Hotel also will be managed by Wyndham Hotel Group International.

Wyndham Hotel Group is the largest US-based hotel franchising company in China today with 138 hotels open and under development under the Ramada, Days Inn, Howard Johnson and Super 8 brand names.

Steven R. Rudnitsky, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer said the development of the Wyndham brand in China fulfills a key corporate objective to grow the brand in Asia.

"Our Shanghai project is a testament to the strength of the Wyndham brand and our management expertise," he said. "We anticipate strong growth of the Wyndham brand in key gateway cities."

Shanghai serves as one of China's most important commercial, financial, industrial and communications centers and is widely regarded as the showpiece of one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Located on China's east coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, Shanghai is the country's most populous city and one of the largest urban areas in the world. The city is an emerging tourist destination known for historical landmarks including as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower and its reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design.