Press Release

2012-10-24

Starwood Continues Growth in Latin America with Debut of Le Meridien Mexico City

NEW YORK – October 24, 2012 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), Trinity Investments, LLC and Terra Investments S.R.L.C.V. today announced the debut of the first Le Méridien Hotel in Mexico City with the opening of Le Méridien Mexico City. Situated at Paseo de la Reforma 69 in the heart of the city’s vibrant financial and cultural district, Le Méridien Mexico City combines timeless chic design and a love of the arts and cuisine, offering travellers a distinctive and compelling experience.

“The opening of Le Méridien Mexico City is part of Starwood’s aggressive expansion strategy in Latin America marking the 71^st Starwood hotel in the region and the seventh in Mexico City,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of the Americas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “We’re thrilled to bring Le Méridien to Mexico City, which continues to be a preferred destination for business and pleasure.”

“Since being acquired by Starwood more than six years ago, Le Méridien has undergone a comprehensive brand re-launch,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien & Westin. “The brand boasts the strongest portfolio ever in its forty year history and the debut of Le Méridien in Mexico City, which is a hub for style and creativity, marks another key milestone in our transformation.”

Le Méridien Mexico City features 160 rooms – all suites – with breathtaking skyline views, timeless chic design and the brand’s signature Le Méridien Bed. The hotel also houses a state-of-the-art fitness center, pool, and C’est la Vie— a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering a unique culinary experience for guests and locals alike.

“We are excited to bring the Le Méridien brand to our hotel, our guests, our employees, and Mexico City,” said Ryan Donn, Managing Director of Trinity Investments. “The brand epitomizes the sophistication and style that Mexico City, as a world gateway city, exudes.”

Le Méridien Mexico City features the newly-developed Le Méridien Hub™ experience which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange. Le Méridien Hub offers both guests and locals a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets the environment. Le Méridien Hub further builds on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture, curated by Le Méridien brand’s Cultural Curator Jérôme Sans. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ART™ programme, featuring LM100 ™ artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour soundtrack curated by Sans.

For further information on Le Méridien Mexico City and to book reservations, visit www.lemeridien.com.

#          #          #

 

About Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts
Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by 100 properties in more than 40 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005.  With over 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provided a strong international complement to Starwood’s then primarily North American holdings at the time of purchase. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a large scale hotels product consolidation as well as redefining its brand strategy. By appointing a full-time Cultural Curator – French arts-provocateur Jérôme Sans – Le Méridien transformed numerous guest touch points, thus bringing unique and interactive experiences to its guests. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts within the next five years, concentrating in the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific markets, including destinations such as India, Thailand and China. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Istanbul, Oran (Algeria), Arlington (Virginia, USA), Coimbatore (India), Koh Samui (Thailand), and Taipei, and will open in the next 12 months in Bali, Zhengzhou (China), Mahabaleshwar (India), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Cairo (Egypt), Tianjin (China), and Dhaka (Bangladesh).  For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.

About Trinity Investments, LLC
Trinity Investments, LLC (“Trinity”) is an international real estate investment company. Its investment focus is primarily in hospitality/resort assets in Hawaii and Mexico, and commercial real estate in Japan. Since its predecessor company was first formed in 1996, Trinity and its affiliates have acquired and developed over $4 billion in real estate assets and companies, including hotels, office buildings, apartments, and retail centers. Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, the company also maintains offices in New York and Tokyo. More information can be found at www.trinityinvestments.com.

Media Contact:
Gina Carriazo Hickey
Latin America Public Relations, Starwood
T +1 786 999 6307
Gina.Carriazo@starwoodhotels.com

Ashley Chapman
Global Public Relations, Le Méridien
T +1 212 380 4015
ashley.chapman@starwoodhotels.com