Mere weeks before its new high-design/low-cost hotel chain known as "aloft" welcomes its first guests, Starwood Hotels has lost Ross Klein, the president of its luxury brands group, which includes the W Hotels, St. Regis, and The Luxury Collection brands. He was also the concept and creative lead for aloft, the new division of W that is expected to reach as many as 500 hotels worldwide by 2012. Klein's resignation, the New York Post's Page Six reported on Sunday, came after months of battling with Starwood president and CEO Frits van Paasschen. Taking Klein's role will be Starwood's chief brand officer Phil McAveety.

Klein, however, wasted no time in finding a new gig. Hilton Hotels Corporation announced yesterday that Klein and former Starwood senior vice president Amar Lalvani will join Hilton as global head of luxury and lifestyle brands and global head of luxury and lifestyle brand development, respectively. Klein will oversee the company's global luxury and lifestyle brands, including Waldorf=Astoria and Conrad, and noted the press release, "will spearhead the company's entry into the lifestyle segment."