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The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts Unveils Signature Travel Services

THE LUXURY COLLECTION HOTELS & RESORTS
UNVEILS SIGNATURE TRAVEL SERVICES

Global Guests of The Luxury Collection Will Now Enjoy
Luggage Free Travel and Access to a World of News Publications
Thanks to New Partnerships with Luggage Forward and NewspaperDirect

NEW YORK – May 8, 2008 – The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, a glittering ensemble of more than 65 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 26 countries, today announced the launch of two new signature services that will allow guests the luxury of traveling luggage free and having access to a world of newspapers and publications at their fingertips. Through these newly launched partnerships with industry leaders, Luggage Forward and NewspaperDirect, The Luxury Collection has created two new guest services that offer an unrivaled level of travel experiences tailored to its sophisticated global explorers. The award-winning hotels that make up The Luxury Collection are some of the world’s most iconic properties, including Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego; Mystique, Santorni; Hotel Imperial, Kuala Lumpur; Grande Bregtagne, Athens; The U.S. Grant, San Diego and The Phoenician, Scottsdale.

“We define The Luxury Collection by our guests and the experiences and services they demand and expect.  Nothing less than an exceptional level of service, perfect location and indigenous personal offerings will do,” said Ross Klein, President of Starwood’s Luxury Brands Group. “We are proud to launch the brand’s first global partnerships in our continued effort to offer our global guests a portal to the world’s most enriching experiences found only within The Luxury Collection.”

The Luxury Collection Launches Luxury Collection Luggage Liaison
The Luxury Collection proudly launches an exclusive global hotel partnership with Luggage Forward, the cornerstone of the brand’s newest signature service, Luxury Collection Luggage Liaison(sm). With Luggage Liaison, guests of The Luxury Collection can traveling without luggage to any of the brand’s 69 destinations, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their belongings will be waiting for them in their room upon arrival. As part of the program, guest’s baggage will be retrieved by Luggage Forward’s door-to-door luggage delivery service prior to departure and sent to the hotel to be placed in the room and unpacked before the guest arrives, upon request. The service will allow guests to avoid carrying bags to and from the airport, bypass long check-in lines or the wait at baggage claim, eliminate the worry about lost luggage or having to pay luggage weight overage fees on flights. Guests of The Luxury Collection may use Luggage Liaison again for their return trip by simply packing their bags and letting The Luxury Collection do the rest, including delivery of any purchases made during the trip.  As the exclusive hotel partner of Luggage Forward, The Luxury Collection offers exceptional pricing available only to its guests for door to door luggage delivery.

“Luggage Forward has fundamentally changed the travel experience by providing a global luggage delivery service that offers convenience, service and unparalleled reliability by circumventing the airline process”, said Aaron Kirley Co-Founder of Luggage Forward.  “We are pleased to be working with a brand as respected as The Luxury Collection that has taken the innovative step of adding Luggage Forward as one of the brand’s first global partners.”

For more information on Luggage Liaison, please visits www.luxurycollection.com/luggage.

The Luxury Collection Offers Access Through NewspaperDirect
Through services provided by NewspaperDirect, the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution, guests staying at Luxury Collection properties can choose from a vast range of over 600 newspapers and magazines from 77 countries, and have their favorites delivered to their guest room throughout their stay. While the world has grown smaller, receiving same-day editions of familiar newspapers from home provides a welcome surprise and represents a truly indulgent and appreciated luxury.  Guests of The Luxury Collection will be offered a newspaper menu, allowing them to select and purchase publications from a wide range of options and enabling them to stay in touch regardless of location.

“NewspaperDirect is honored to partner with the Luxury Collection,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “Luxury Collection’s prominence and stature within the hospitality industry is a testament to its dedication to fulfilling the needs of every guest. We strongly believe that the ND Press service will be a great fit for this prestigious brand and will be a distinctive amenity for guests who need more than just a local newspaper."

The Luxury Collection’s debut of Luggage Liaison through its exclusive hotel partnership with Luggage Forward and offering a global network of newspapers through NewspaperDirect will allow guests to fully experience the indigenous charms and treasures at the world’s most desirable destinations without any inconveniences along the way. 

For more information on The Luxury Collection, please visit: www.luxurycollection.com

About The Luxury Collection
The Luxury Collection® is a selection of hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Magnificent décor, spectacular settings, impeccable service and the latest modern conveniences combine to provide a uniquely enriching experience. Today, The Luxury Collection is a glittering ensemble of more than 65 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 26 countries in bustling cities and spectacular destinations around the world. The Luxury Collection includes award-winning hotels that continuously exceed guest expectations by offering unparalleled service, style and class in some of the most desired destinations in the world. In Most recently, Mystique, a Luxury Collection Resort, was honored with the 2008 Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Small Resort in the world. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information, please visit www.luxurycollection.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft^SMand 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.

About NewspaperDirect Inc.
Founded in 1999 and based in Vancouver, Canada, NewspaperDirect Inc. (www.newspaperdirect.com) is the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization.NewspaperDirect offers over 600 newspaper and magazine titles through its Print-On-Demand ND Press service, which enables hotels and businesses to conveniently download and print hundreds of national and international titles on-site using their existing in-house equipment. 

NewspaperDirect also distributes its publications through a global network of more than 1,200 print locations in 105 countries, delivering them to hotels, libraries, cruise ships, corporate offices, retail outlets, home subscribers and Web browsers everywhere.

Hotel PressDisplay which is offered at more than 2150 hotels worldwide, is the largest online newspaper and magazine kiosk in the world.  Using the hotel’s high speed internet service, Hotel PressDisplay can be configured to serve guest laptops in-room or in the common areas of the hotel property.To learn more visit www.newspaperdirect.com

About Luggage Forward
Luggage Forward, the leading provider of worldwide door-to-door luggage and sports equipment delivery, offers a range of specialized forwarding options and high-end customer service that make traveling without luggage possible. Luggage Forward has trusted relationships with an international network of agents and shippers in more than 200 countries and territories. As a result, customers that “luggage forward” receive unparalleled reliability and the industry’s most comprehensive guarantee. The company’s intuitive website provides clients with real-time quoting and easy-to-understand online booking. Using advanced order-tracking technology, dedicated Forwarding Specialists monitor shipments from initial inquiry to final delivery. By eliminating long waits, the aggravation of lost luggage and the burdens of heavy baggage, Luggage Forward allows its clients total travel convenience.  For more information: www.luggageforward.com.