Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited is proud to announce that on the 5th February 2010, the Group celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gathering of nearly one hundred staff, past and present, at the beautiful Elvetham Hall in Hampshire. Elvetham is steeped in history, having been owned by the family of Jane Seymour, one of Henry VIII’s wives and famed as being the site of the first performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Initially, Hutchinson’s acted as Collection Agent for resorts in Portugal and Malta. However, the company soon realized the huge potential that the industry offered to professionals prepared to marry their expertise and integrity to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the emerging sales and marketing entrepreneurs. In 1990, Peter Hutchinson, Group Chairman, took the key decision to take the company to the next level and as a result, Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited was formed.

During the last twenty five years, the Group has gone from strength to strength, consistently providing a quick, efficient, professional and value for money service, permitting the company to become one of the top specialized Holiday Ownership Trustees in Europe and the largest in India and the Far East. In summarizing the Group’s success, Peter Hutchinson remarked:

“The only constant throughout the last 25 years has been change! And our success has been built on the ability to adapt to what the market demands and to maintain a level of service which is always one step above the expectations of our clients! Our business life is a far cry from its beginnings when Joy Pope and I both worked from home, with a single phone line, typewriter and telex machine, between us! Indeed, that which seemed daunting in 1985 now seems mundane and it will not be long before we can say that at any hour of the day, somewhere in the world, there is a Hutchinson office open for business!”

In 2007, the Group set up a specialist subsidiary, Citadel Trustees Ltd, with a principle focus on emerging products, such as green energy products, requiring stakeholder, trustee and escrow services, as well as Hotel buy-to-let schemes and other leisure related investment products. Citadel has grown rapidly and is now authorized by the UK Financial Services Authority to set-up, operate and manage Unregulated Collective Investments Schemes, an area of business which has seen very strong growth in recent years and one which will be of particular focus for the company in the future. The Group now boasts offices in the UK, Spain, India, Thailand and China and is involved with projects valued at over $2.5 billion!

For further information about Hutchinson or Citadel, please contact Christopher Allen, Director, Client Services and Business Development, by email chrisallen@citadeltrustees.com or, call the company’s UK Head Office +44 (0) 1276
482015/16

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The Karma Royal Group announced today the development of Karma Bahamas, which will be another upscale Karma Resort and the company’s first resort property in the Caribbean.

Karma Royal Group has entered into an agreement with the principles of Mango Bay Bahamas, the owners of Little Harbour Island, for the property to be developed as a Karma Resort. Karma Royal will assume responsibility for the sales and management.

“We are excited to add the Bahamas to our portfolio of Karma Resorts in Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and Greece,” says Karma Royal Chairman John Spence. “Our resort on Little Harbour Island will enhance what is already an unrivalled experience.”

The island is stunning and is ideally located a five-minute boat ride from Harbour Island, the most exclusive address in the Caribbean, which has long been known as a  stunning and upmarket holiday destination and boasts many luxurious private villas of Hollywood stars, international celebrities and fashion designers. The island is also famous for its pink sand beaches, rich colonial history and the Goombay Smash – a killer rum punch.

Little Harbour Island is also ideally situated a five-minute ferry ride from the airport dock of north Eleuthera, which not only has regular flights to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, but also to Miami and Fort Lauderdale (a mere one hour away). Indeed, this international accessibility means that clients can fly their private planes in from the eastern seaboard of the United States, with New York a mere two-and-a-half hours away.

Construction has already commenced on the island, where there is already the beginnings of a marina, core infrastructure and a number of completed and partly completed villas. When finished the property will comprise a combination of deluxe three- and four-bedroom villas, some with their own private beach; smaller one-, two- and three-bedroom townhouses; and hotel-suite units.

“We are still determining the optimum number of units on the island, but the likely number will be between 30 and 60, which will create in excess of 100 keys,” Spence says.

In addition to the marina, the property will have a full range of Karma-standard facilities, including a Karma spa, a range of restaurants, a gym, club house and full hotel amenities.

In tandem with the development of the property, Karma Royal will be marketing and selling property at all ends of the price spectrum, primarily on site, in the United States and Europe. They will offer a combination of traditional real estate purchase and a form of fractional ownership in addition to nightly rentals.

“This will be one of the first times that we have partnered with another company in a karma resort, and we see this as a key strategy for our rapid growth, enabling us to spread our wings and develop in new parts of the globe and to work with local experts and partners for mutual benefit,” says Spence. “Indeed, having spent time with the principles of Mango Bay, I am very confident that we share the same vision and goals for this project.”

Spence adds that he is “delighted that we will be commencing a resort in the Caribbean,” and added that Karma Royal is also looking at additional development opportunities in  Costa Rica, Grenada and St Lucia. “I am very keen for us to start to market in North America,” say Spence, “and indeed to market and promote our Asian properties there. I believe strongly that as the economy recovers, North Americans will have a strong appetite for the holiday products and offerings that Karma and Royal have… backed up by our sales and marketing skills and experience.”

ABOUT KARMA ROYAL GROUP
Karma Royal Group is Asia’s largest independent resort developer, with 17 resorts in India, Thailand and Indonesia. www.karmaresorts.com www.royalresorts.com.au
For employment opportunities e-mail royalmark01@hotmail.com.

A New Star Rises Above the Hollywood Walk of Fame

W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, recaptures the spirit of Hollywood glamour with the unveiling of W Hollywood Hotel & Residences.  Located at the historic intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine, this $350 million complex, developed by Gatehouse Capital and owned in a joint venture by HEI Hotels & Resorts and Gatehouse Capital, in affiliation with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro), offers W’s jet-setting guests, residents and Hollywood’s fashionable locals a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience.   The opening of W Hollywood kicks off another year of international growth for W Hotels, which is on track to more than double its global portfolio by 2011.

“Opening in Hollywood, the epicenter of pop culture, marks a true milestone in W’s global expansion into the world’s most exciting and vibrant destinations,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien.  “W Hollywood further demonstrates our passion for entertainment as well as our leadership in cutting-edge design, which sets the stage for W’s unique lifestyle programming that will make W Hollywood the coolest place in town.”

“The opening of W Hollywood marks the completion of a ten year journey for Gatehouse Capital and our partners, and we are proud to introduce this stunning, modern, and truly sustainable property,” said Marty Collins, president and CEO of Gatehouse Capital, developer of the W Hollywood Hotel & Residences. “We have paired an iconic brand to an iconic intersection in a city that is a global destination recognized the world over, and in doing so, ushered in a second Golden Age that will redefine and revitalize modern Hollywood.”

“W Hollywood is a crown jewel in our investment portfolio, and offers a truly unique location that is a perfect blend of lifestyle, entertainment, hospitality and commerce,” said Clark Hanrattie, Chief Investment Officer for HEI Hotels & Resorts. “We are confident that W Hollywood will be the flashpoint of entertainment, art, fashion, culture and music on a global stage for years to come.”

Old Hollywood Glamour Meets Modern, Cutting-Edge Design
Dedicated to contributing to a green-conscious community and a cleaner environment, W Hollywood is registered for LEED®-Silver certification and is also the largest property registered for LEED® certification in Southern California, combining eco-conscious construction and access to public transportation with the incorporation of an on-site Metro Red Line Station that connects the hotel with the extensive Metro Rail and Bus system serving Los Angeles County. With top architecture firm HKS Architects, interior designers designstudio ltd., interior architecture firm Daly Genik Architects and landscape architect Rios Clementi Hale Studios at the helm, this team of world-class design professionals offered inspired interpretations from the idea of a new Hollywood glamour.

In this spirit, W Hollywood guests are given star-studded treatment in true Hollywood fashion as they walk the plush “red carpet” to arrive at the Welcome Desk and signature W Living Room, W’s modern take on the hotel lobby. Guests, residents and LA insiders can sip and socialize on the adjoining outdoor terrace and ground-floor lounge, featuring black tufted leather sofas, lounge chairs and a decadent backlit lobby bar crafted of glowing Onice Fantastico onyx. Punctuating the contemporary Living Room is a spectacular spiral stair case of white marble set against a backdrop of a curved bronze mosaic wall and a striking chandelier cascading from the gilded ceiling above.

Victor Drai Returns to Create New Nightlife Destination in Hollywood
The piece de resistance is undoubtedly the hotel’s expansive open air rooftop pool deck, bar and nightclub Drai’s Hollywood, from nightclub impresario Victor Drai.  Replete with spectacular panoramic views, first rate architectural design, a “Drai’s style” restaurant featuring the creative cuisine of Chef Claude Segal and an ultra exclusive lounge on the ground floor of the hotel for members and invitation only events, there isn’t another space in Los Angeles that can attract the stars like this crown jewel of nightlife. The pool decks and club are adorned with a selection of chaises, sun beds and sectional sofas surrounding a fire pit, while the raised Ipe wood deck is adorned with Moroccan-inspired cabanas, outfitted with lounging sofas and flat screen TVs.

Sip, Mix and Indulge at IDG’s Latest Restaurant Concept
Delphine Eatery & Bar makes its debut at W Hollywood with its classic and modern interpretations of French cuisine from Innovative Dining Group, the restaurant group behind such Los Angeles hot spots as Sushi Roku, Katana and BOA Steakhouse, among others. Delphine, conceptualized Zeff Designs, evokes the atmosphere of the South of France by blending vibrant colors, classic archways and an open-air feel inspired by the Cote d’Azur.   Guests can also grab a bite and watch the latest premiere or visual art feature at Station Hollywood, an al fresco outdoor lounge setting equipped with a 600 square foot drop-down cinema-style screen, cushy teak framed sectional seating, fire pits and an outdoor bar.

Recharge High above the Hollywood Scene
After an evening of indulgence, escape the scene and recharge in one of W Hollywood’s 305 guest rooms, including W’s signature WOW Suites and the Extreme WOW Suite (W’s reinterpretation of the traditional Presidential Suite). Guestrooms and suites feature W’s signature beds with a feather-top mattress, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, goose down comforters, state-of-the-art entertainment and a fully stocked Munchie Box (W Hotels’ twist on the hotel Mini Bar).

Own the Wow
The Residences at W Hollywood offer 143 W-branded Residences for purchase, featuring one, two and three bedroom units with spectacular views of the world famous Hollywood Sign. Residence owners have access to all of W Hollywood’s modern amenities and services, including preferred dining reservations and seating at the hotel’s signature restaurant, nightclub, and lounges; Welcome Ambassadors and round the clock security; in-residence dining and STYLE housekeeping services; two WET® pools, including the private W Residences pool; WHEELS valet service; two SWEAT® state-of-the-art fitness facilities; and W’s signature Whatever/Whenever® service promise, providing residents and hotel guests alike with whatever they want – from front row seats at the world-famous Kodak Theatre to private shopping excursion on Melrose Avenue – whenever they want it, as long as its legal! For information on The Residences at W Hollywood, please contact 323-469-8800.

Escape to Hollywood’s First Bliss® Spa
Bliss Spa arrives in Hollywood for the first time with more than 6,000-square-feet of tension-fighting facilities with a focus on manicures and pedicures, facials, waxing, and skincare services as well as bliss signature massages. Seven treatment rooms and bliss trademark touches such as rhythm & blues tunes, a retail beauty boutique, and legendary brownie buffet make bliss hollywood the ultimate destination for stylish jet setters and spa and beauty-loving locals. W Hollywood guests and residents receive “BIP” (Bliss Important Person) status for priority reservations and exclusive in-room sampling, while sought-after sink side bliss amenities are provided in all guestrooms and suites.

W Hollywood’s other distinctive elements include substantial modern retail space, 10,000 square feet of  meeting, banquet and pre-function space, and 15,000 square feet of ultra-modern event space, including The Great Room (W’s take on the grand ballroom). Creative in approach and innovative design, meeting spaces set the stage for success using a unique W Sensory Set Up® with mood music, signature scents and more to engage and energize attendants. W Hollywood’s full service business center, WIRED, is also open 24 hours a day.

W Hollywood is located at 6250 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California.  For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.whotels.com/hollywood.

About W Hotels Worldwide®
W Hotels is an innovative contemporary lifestyle brand and the hotel category buster with 36 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access to a world of “Wow.” Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment.  W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experiences, and signature spas.  With 10 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to double its footprint by 2011. W Hotels and W Retreats have been announced for Downtown New York, London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Bali, Vieques Island, Koh Samui, and Verbier, among other international destinations. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.

About Gatehouse Capital
Founded in 1995, Gatehouse Capital is a national real estate investment and development firm based in Dallas, Texas. Currently engaging in the development and redevelopment of mixed-use properties involving upscale hotels in high barrier, urban and technology markets, Gatehouse has a reputation for both elevating brands and being elevated by brands. By partnering with industry leaders and visionaries throughout its collective team, Gatehouse revalidates its core mission: to deliver extraordinary developments in every send, beginning with economic return. www.gatehousecapital.com.

About HEI Hotels & Resorts
HEI Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., is a leading hospitality investment firm that acquires, develops, owns and operates full-service, upper upscale and luxury hotels and resorts throughout the United States under such well-known brand names as Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien, Embassy Suites, and Hilton. For more information about HEI, visit the company’s website, www.heihotels.com.

About Metro’s Joint Development Program
The project is a product of Metro’s Joint Development Program, which works closely with public and private partners to encourage high-quality, transit-oriented development around Metro station sites and along transit corridors.  The program’s goal is to help reduce auto trips and relieve congestion through transit-linked development.

About Drai’s Hollywood
Victor Drai is a legendary French entrepreneur, film producer and lifestyle magnate who transformed his own Hollywood life into a brand with his successful restaurant, Drai’s on La Cienega.  After leaving Hollywood for Las Vegas in 1997, Drai forever changed the world’s nightclub scene with the opening of Drai’s on the Strip. The club’s 1 a.m. to early morning schedule helped make it the first after-hours venue in Sin City and still remains a nightlife staple. Drai partnered with Cy and Jesse Waits, two of the club world’s rising stars and opened two of the most successful nightclubs ever Tryst and XS in Las Vegas. Drai and the Waits twins’ newest venture, Drai’s Hollywood, will deliver a first class nightlife destination to the entertainment capital of the world. For more information, please visit www.draishollywood.com

About Innovative Dining Group
Innovative Dining Group currently operates seven of the most popular and successful restaurants in Los Angeles: Sushi Roku (with locations in West Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Pasadena), BOA Steakhouse (with locations in West Hollywood and Santa Monica), Katana in West Hollywood, and Robata Bar in Santa Monica. In September 2008, IDG opened Sushi Roku in the new W Hotel in Scottsdale—the restaurant group’s first Arizona property. The company also operates a BOA Steakhouse and Sushi Roku at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. All of IDG’s venues reflect bold, modern interpretations of traditional concepts, reflective of the company’s youthful, dynamic partners. For more information, please visit www.innovativedining.com or IDG’s page on Facebook.

About Bliss
Founded in 1996 in New York City, bliss was spotted by beauty-obsessed buzz-makers and quickly massaged its way to the top…and soon after, across the map.  There are currently 18 bliss spas worldwide, including 14 locations within W Hotels, bliss’ exclusive hotel spa and in-room amenity partner. Bliss retails its spa-at-home skin and body care products through its bliss catalog, blissworld.com web site, bliss spa retail boutiques and at international retailers including Bloomingdale’s, Blue Mercury, Harrod’s, Harvey Nichols, Lane Crawford, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, and Ulta.  For more information, visit www.blissworld.com.

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Company Has Received Strong Interest from Investors and Developers To Partner on Major Redevelopment Effort Starwood Also Plans to Open Six Hotels in New York City in 2010 and launch a $90 Million Renovation of the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced today a redevelopment plan for the 665-room Sheraton Manhattan at Times Square in New York City. The company is exploring a variety of options to maximize the long-term value of this significant asset which occupies 395,000 square feet of real estate, covering a full city block, bounded by Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 51st and 52nd Street near Times Square. The redevelopment plans will include a hotel flying one of Starwood’s brand flags, in possible combination with retail and office uses. Given the hotel’s incomparable footprint, Starwood has received considerable interest from investors and developers to partner on the project and the company has assembled a project team to assist in evaluating a full range of options and partners over the coming months.

As the hotel is redeveloped, Starwood will remove the Sheraton flag and operate the hotel as a non-branded Starwood property beginning in April. The hotel will remain open as the company finalizes redevelopment plans, and will continue to be a member of the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program. Starwood made the decision to operate the hotel as an independent because the hotel does not currently meet the upgraded standards of the Sheraton brand, which is culminating a three-year, $6 billion dollar global overhaul. As part of the revitalization of Sheraton, Starwood’s largest and most global hotel brand, the brand has removed 32 “off brand” hotels in order to improve its quality and consistency, and reflect a significantly enhanced guest experience.

The redevelopment of the Sheraton Manhattan is illustrative of Starwood’s bullish growth plans in New York City. Starwood has more hotels in New York City than anywhere in the world and currently operates 13 hotels here with plans to open six more in 2010, including two new high-profile Sheraton properties in Brooklyn and Tribeca, the W New York Downtown and the Four Points by Sheraton Long Island City. In addition, the global hotel giant will debut its two newest brands in the Big Apple with the openings of Aloft New York Brooklyn and Element New York Times Square West, bringing its total number of New York City properties to 19. In addition, the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, the Sheraton brand’s flagship New York property, will launch a $90 million renovation later this year.

“Starwood is committed to maximizing the value of its owned assets around the world. The Sheraton Manhattan occupies a highly sought after piece of real estate in a prime location, and we’re excited about the prospect of redeveloping it into a flagship Starwood hotel,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood. “This will complement our existing portfolio in Manhattan’s Time Square area that includes the landmark Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, Westin Times Square and W Times Square as well a the soon-to-open Element Times Square West.”

Beyond New York City, Starwood expects to open 80-100 high quality new-build and conversion hotels in 2010, coming off of the 83 opened and 77 new deals signed in 2009. Of these new hotels, roughly 70 percent will be outside of North America, with the majority in Asia Pacific. And Starwood’s upper upscale and luxury brands are leading the charge, representing more than 60% of the new openings. Among these hotels and resorts is expected to be its 1,000th property globally.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 982 properties in more than 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Méridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), and Element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.