Trading Places International was recently awarded the full service management contracts for the Association of Apartment Owners Hanalei Bay Resort and the Hanalei Bay Resort Vacation Owners Association located on the north shore in the prestigious community of Princeville on the beautiful island of Kauai. Trading Places will provide resort management services as well as all reservations, exchanges, and association financial services of the resort. Trading Places currently manages three resorts in Hawaii on the islands of Oahu and Maui and is pleased to welcome Hanalei Bay Resort into their expanding family.

“TPI was one of six management companies the two [Hanalei Bay] boards contacted when we sought alternative management, and their references are outstanding,” said Dick Schweickert, president of the Hanalei Bay Resort Vacation Owners Association. “We look forward to a bright and exciting future with Trading Places.”

Hanalei Bay Resort, a relaxed retreat within the posh Princeville community of Kauai, encompasses 16 three-story stucco buildings on 22 lush acres above the spectacular Hanalei Bay. Amenities include an open-air lobby, restaurant and lounge, overlooking Bali Hai Mountains, while a free-form pool with a sandy bottom, waterfalls and a spa tub grotto offer the ultimate in relaxation. The resort caters to tennis players of all levels of skill with an on-site tennis pro and eight beautiful tennis courts. Also available are massage services overlooking Hanalei Bay, an activities center with snorkel, surfing and beach gear available, and a very well-appointed sundries store. An activities desk is located on site for owners and guests, providing all of the exciting Kauai activities through the best vendors in the area. The resort is located within the Princeville Resort, which hosts two championship golf courses, a health spa, horse stables, grocery store, shopping center, service station, etc. which are open to the public.

“We’re very excited about the acquisition of a resort of this distinction in this area of Hawaii. Hanalei Bay is a welcome addition to Trading Places current family of managed resorts.” said Douglas L. Wilcox, Vice President of Resort Management. “We fully believe that this resort will soon recover its prominence as a premier vacation destination through the efforts of the two association boards and support of all the owners in Hanalei Bay Resort”

Trading Places International is a 36-year veteran of the travel and vacation ownership industries.  It is the only vertically-integrated, independent timeshare company providing full service resort management, association administration, timeshare exchanges, and travel agency services. It currently oversees more than 55,000 timeshare owners at over 30 resort locations in Hawaii, Mexico, South America, and mainland United States.

Situated Amidst Hawaii’s Lush Tropical Landscape and Sparkling Azure Waters, The St. Regis Princeville Offers an Unrivaled Dimension of Luxury, Sophistication and Unparalleled Service in Kaua‘i’s Most Quintessential Address

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces the debut of the St. Regis hotel brand in Hawaii with the opening of The St. Regis Princeville Resort. Ideally located on Hawaii’s breathtaking island of Kaua‘i , The St. Regis Princeville Resort introduces an unparalleled level of sophistication and serene luxury to one of the most remarkable destinations in the world. Following a multi-million dollar renovation, the iconic resort has been transformed into an elegant reflection of its island home, paying homage to the land and culture. Redesigned in collaboration with hotel design firm WATG and local Hawaiian architecture firm Group 70, The St. Regis Princeville Resort features 252 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, including 51 premium ocean view suites, the elegant Halele’a Spa, Prince and Makai Champion golf courses by Robert Trent Jones II and Kaua’i Grill by world renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

“We are proud to debut the St. Regis brand in Hawai‘i with the opening of The St. Regis Princeville Resort, featuring the iconic luxury, unmatched privilege and bespoke services for which the St. Regis brand is renowned,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. “Truly one of the world’s most desirable destinations, Hawai‘i is rich in culture and heritage and offers our discerning global guests an exotic array of world-class cuisine, art and stunning natural surroundings.”

Formerly a part of Starwood’s renowned The Luxury Collection brand, The St. Regis Princeville Resort has been re-envisioned to accentuate a sense of relaxed yet refined island luxury and timeless beauty. Bringing a residential feel to the interiors and reflecting Hawaii’s natural surroundings, the resort’s redesign was inspired by the Hawaiian concept of Ahupua‘a, a philosophy of living in balance with nature. The grand lobby will be distinguished by a dramatic point of entry including a cascading chandelier comprised of over 4,000 pieces of Murano glass representing the waterfall of Na Molokama Mountain, a coffered ceiling of natural woven raffia, palm wood floors and soaring glass panels that open to the sea and the spectacular sunsets of Mt. Makana.

Dining at The St. Regis Princeville indulges the senses with diverse culinary offerings. Each of the resort’s four distinctive dining venues feature fresh seasonal ingredients locally farmed or produced on Kaua’i Island. As the resort’s signature restaurant, Kaua‘i Grill will feature spectacular views of Hanalei Bay and a menu of masterful internationally influenced cuisine utilizing the freshest fish and ingredients indigenous to the islands, exclusively developed by Chef Vongerichten and his talented team. The dramatically designed interior of the restaurant features a rich palette of coco, ruby, cognac, leather, bronze and zebra woods evoking Hawaii’s luminous colors with a contemporary interpretation of island motifs. A spectacular, spiraling, lit fabric ceiling in the shape of a nautilus shell crowns the dining room, lending a dramatic glow by night and complementing the sweeping views by day. Spilling from the center of the ceiling is a hand-crafted fiber optic and ruby glass hibiscus chandelier that echoes the surrounding mountain waterfalls and Hawaii’s indigenous flora.

The 10,000 square foot Halele‘a Spa at The St. Regis Princeville Resort is a masterpiece of style and refinement. Each guest is attended to by a qualified wellness consultant who designs individualized spa programs for body and mind inspired by Native Hawaiian healing rituals. Each spacious treatment room is enriched with custom millwork of native Hawaiian woods, palm wood floors, natural fiber drapery treatments and a custom Murano glass plumeria flower chandelier. Using only the finest finishes, the interiors provide a sense of peace and a place commensurate with the island’s transcendent beauty.

An ideal destination for weddings, meetings and social events, The St. Regis Princeville’s newly transformed meeting spaces boast 12,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor space and offers a dynamic setting with the latest in computer and audio visual technology. Among the resort’s signature features is a unique infinity pool situated on the ocean overlooking beautiful Hanalei Bay. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, naturally defined stonework and striking water features reflecting Hawai‘i’s tropical outdoor lifestyle, the pool deck will also feature Nalu Kai Restaurant. For those in pursuit of sports and recreation, guests can experience Princeville’s two premiere 18- hole golf courses; the Prince and Makai designed by Robert Trent Jones, II. The championship Makai Course is undergoing a major renovation to be completed in winter 2010. The St. Regis Princeville’s Young Guest Program will also caters to families with a private club boasting an array of Hawaiian cultural activities and adventures.

The St. Regis Princeville steeped in grand Hawaiian heritage, is built on legendary grounds beside the emerald green Hanalei Valley and overlooks the awe inspiring Napali Coast. The area was named the “City of the Prince” after a royal visit by Hawai‘i’s Prince Albert, son of King Kamehameha IV in 1860. Princeville’s breathtaking natural setting has made the area among the premiere destinations in the world. The resort is surrounded by five majestic mountains, a patchwork of taro farms, a wildlife refuge, equestrian paths, hiking trails, ancient sea caves and lagoons.

Following in the tradition of the iconic St. Regis Hotel New York, The St. Regis Princeville Resort will feature the famed hallmarks of St. Regis hotels around the world including the legendary St. Regis Butler Service, bespoke guest experiences and luxury accommodations tailored to meet global travelers’ needs. Trained in the English tradition, the butlers provide ever-present, yet unobtrusive service while anticipating guests needs and customizing each guest’s stay according to his or her specific tastes and preferences.

For more information on The St. Regis Princeville and how to reserve its quintessential experiences, please visit, www.stregis.com/princeville

About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis Hotel in New York City over a century ago, The St. Regis brand of hotels is known for its unique luxury, customized service and refined elegance in the best destinations worldwide. Plans for the brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis properties in Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico, Bal Harbour, and Deer Crest in the US and on the exclusive island of Bermuda. In Latin America, St. Regis will unveil new hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires, and Kanai Riviera. In Asia, St. Regis has also announced plans to open properties in Bangkok, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lhasa, Nanjing, Osaka, Sanya Yalong Bay and Tianjin. In Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention, coveted locations and luxurious design. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.stregis.com.

Check-in On Us – Thousands of Rooms on the House at 86 New and Newly Renovated Properties Visit sheraton.com/freenight to Register for Your Chance to Stay for Free on October 23rd

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts wants consumers to see what a difference $6 billion can make so the hotel giant is giving away thousands of free rooms for one night only at 86 hotels throughout North America to celebrate the completion of the brand’s multi-billion global revitalization effort. Consumers can visit sheraton.com/freenight on October 6-9 to register for a chance to book a free room on October 23rd at new and newly renovated flagship hotels including the Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Boston, Sheraton Kauai, Sheraton Dallas and Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

70,000 New Guestrooms, 300 New Lobbies and 100,000 New Beds Part of Multi-Billion Makeover

As part of a three-year global overhaul, Sheraton has invested more than $4 billion in new hotels, renovations and signature brand initiatives in North America and another $2 billion in new hotels overseas. Highlights include:

• 70,000 new or newly renovated guestrooms — 50,000 in North America alone

• More than 300 new lobbies featuring the brand’s innovative Link@SheratonSM experienced with Microsoft®

• More than 100,000 brand new Sheraton Sweet Sleeper all-white, high thread count beds in 211 hotels and 83,000 guestrooms worldwide

• 98 renovated properties, nearly half of Sheraton’s North American portfolio, including high profile gateway properties like the Sheraton Denver, Sheraton Boston, Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Montreal and Sheraton Waikiki.

Global Powerhouse Boasts Highest Brand Awareness in the Industry
As Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s (NYSE:HOT) largest and most global brand, Sheraton boasts more than 400 hotels in 70 countries with a global brand awareness among business travelers at 92%, the highest global awareness of any hotel brand in the world. Making up more than 44% of Starwood’s total rooms, Sheraton is a key focus for Starwood, especially as the company aggressively prepares to own the upswing as the economy recovers. As yesterday’s staycations, canceled meetings and postponed business trips become tomorrow’s pent up demand, travelers will return to the road and find the newest portfolio in the Sheraton brand’s history. In fact, 60% of Starwood properties – including all nine brands – will be brand new or freshly renovated by the end of 2009.

“We have spent the last few years renovating and rebuilding one of the hotel industry’s most iconic brands and as the economy begins to recover Sheraton is in an enviable position, poised to come out of the gate fast and leverage our new flagship hotels, renovated properties and signature brand offerings,” said Frits van Paasschen, Starwood CEO. “When travelers return to the road en masse, Sheraton will be ready.”

Revitalization Plan already Bearing Fruit as Guest Satisfaction Scores Reach Historic Highs
Sheraton Hotel’s efforts to revitalize the brand kicked off in 2007, and as the impact of these efforts take hold in hotels worldwide, the brand is beginning to reap rewards and measurable success, including:

Sheraton Guest Satisfaction scores are the highest in its history, with overall satisfaction at 8.12 out of 10, year-to-date, surpassing the brand’s own goal. Likelihood to return to the brand has increased from 7.89 to 8.78 and Meeting Planner Satisfaction scores are also at an all time high.

Sheraton has opened 57 new hotels worldwide since 2007 with 10 more slated to open by the end of the year — more than any other Starwood brand

In addition, Sheraton has removed more than 38 hotels worldwide including 24 in North America that could not meet the brand’s new standards. 4 more will exit the brand by the end of the year.
Over the next three months, Sheraton will mark the completion of a $500 million investment in renovations to existing properties, including multi-million dollar efforts at the Sheraton Denver, Sheraton Dallas and Sheraton Montreal, as well as the highly-anticipated November opening of Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino, a $210 million, 503-room property that will be the first new full-service hotel and casino built in San Juan in more than 10 years.

Seeing is Believing — Thousands of Travel Pros to Attend Sheraton Open House Events
In addition to giving away thousands of room nights to showcase its recently renovated and new properties, the brand will host a three-day open house for meeting planners, corporate travel buyers, social event planners and other travel influencers, September 29-October 1. The event will spotlight a selection of Sheraton Hotels “best in class” hotels, including: Le Centre Sheraton in Montreal, Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, Sheraton Dallas Hotel, Sheraton Denver Hotel, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, like all brands within Starwood’s robust portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, which made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. SPG® offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel program.

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in 75 countries around the world. It is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 966 properties in 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®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and ElementSM. 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.