Global Hospitality Giant Will Open the Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel and Debut the W and St. Regis brands in the Next 12 Months

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) – the hotel industry’s most global company – today announces it will double its presence in Puerto Rico in the next year with the opening of the island’s first W and St. Regis hotels and its second Sheraton.

Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel – the first full-service hotel and casino built in San Juan in a decade – opens this November. Coming on its heels are the W Retreat and Spa-Vieques Island and The St. Regis Resort and Residences Bahia Beach, both scheduled to open in 2010. The St. Regis also marks a meaningful milestone for Puerto Rico and Starwood as it is the first new luxury hotel to welcome guests to the island since 1997.

“The temperate climate, strong infrastructure, and proximity to gateway cities in the United States, Mexico and South America make Puerto Rico an extremely attractive growth market for Starwood and our proven development partners,” said Paul Sacco, Senior Vice President of Development, North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “As we work to further our lead as the world’s largest upper-upscale and luxury hotel company, and the leading innovator in the select service segment, we see significant long-term opportunity in this dynamic market.”
The three new Starwood properties will join Starwood’s three existing properties in Puerto Rico: Sheraton Old San Juan, Four Points by Sheraton Caguas Real Hotel & Casino and Four Points by Sheraton Resort & Casino at Palmas Del Mar.

Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel
Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel opens next month adjacent to the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan’s newest vibrant commercial and residential district. The new 503-room hotel will accommodate both business and leisure travelers and offer exceptional meeting facilities, a full-service casino and resort-like amenities, including a pool, spa and retail space.

W Retreat and Spa – Vieques Island
Located on the island of Vieques, approximately eight miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, W Retreat and Spa-Vieques Island is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010. The first W property in the Caribbean and the brand’s second retreat property, W Retreat and Spa – Vieques will offer breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea, stylish guest rooms, world-class dining, a luxurious spa, flexible meeting and banquet space and two private beaches.

The St. Regis Resort and Residences Bahia Beach
Opening in the fall of 2010, The St. Regis Bahia Resort and Residences will offer spectacular views of the sparkling sea to the north and the mountainous El Yunque National Rainforest to the south. The $172 million resort will feature 139 luxurious guest rooms and suites with spectacular ocean views, 25 Residences, the iconic St. Regis Butler Service, a world-class Remèdesm Spa, oceanfront swimming pools, 120-seat restaurant by renowned Chef Jean-Georges and a recently opened 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., marking the island’s foray into the five-star-luxury market with its inauguration.

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®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, 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.

Starwood’s Green Trailblazing New Hotel Brand Heads West with the Openings of Element Denver Park Meadows and Element Dallas Fort Worth Airport North

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces the opening of its first hotel in Colorado and fifth Element hotel globally – Element Denver Park Meadows. And later this week, Starwood’s green trailblazer will open its sixth hotel – Element Dallas Fort Worth Airport North.

Owned by Medical Hospitality Group and managed by InterMountain Management, LLC, Element Denver Park Meadows is currently in pursuit of LEED certification. It is the second Element project between the ownership group, development team, and InterMountain Management, following the opening of Element Houston Vintage Park in Texas this spring.

“We celebrate the successful, strategic growth of the Element brand with the opening of our fifth and sixth hotels, all in one week,” said Paul Sacco, Senior Vice President of Development for North America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “We are also delighted to expand our relationship with Medical Hospitality Group and InterMountain Management, who have demonstrated their growing commitment and support of our Element brand.”

Launched by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in 2008, Element delivers a no-compromise, eco-chic experience enhanced by comfortable and inspiring public spaces, modern touches and smart design. Element Hotels is the first major hotel brand to mandate that all its properties pursue the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

The Element brand’s green features are cleverly designed to be as aesthetically appealing as they are eco-friendly, so guests never compromise on style and comfort. Eco-friendly materials are used whenever possible and natural light is maximized throughout the hotels. To reduce waste, guest room bathrooms are equipped with amenity dispensers, kitchens are supplied with silverware and glassware instead of plastic utensils and paper cups, and filtered drinking water is available rather than plastic water bottles. Recycling bins are available in guest rooms and public areas. Element hotels conserve water and energy with low-flow faucets and fixtures, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and energy-efficient appliances. Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with an environmentally-friendly magnet.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 960 properties in 97 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.

About InterMountain Management
As one of North America’s leading owner/operator and third-party management companies, InterMountain Management, LLC specializes in the select service and extended stay hotel segments. For more than 25 years, InterMountain Management’s dedication to success has been proven in the results as a hotel owner, management company, and hotel developer. Their managed hotel owners have benefited from the development and management knowledge and experience gained from owning and operating our own hotel portfolio. They currently own and/or manage over 70 premium branded hotels in 26 states within Starwood and other leading hotel brand portfolios. For more information or to view hotel locations across the U.S., please visit their website at www.intermtn.biz.