Noticias y eventos

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Starwood Hotels & Resorts was honored with the 2009 WAVE Award in the category of Best Travel Agent Support, Hotel Chain on June 4 in Beverly Hills as part of the TravelAge West WAVE (Western Agents’ Votes of Excellence) Awards.

More than 110 companies, individuals and destinations were celebrated by the readers of TravelAge West at the WAVE Awards ceremony. Honorees were recognized in 44 categories that spanned the cruise, tour operator, airline, hotel and resort and destination travel fields. The awards gave travel agents in the Western U.S. the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel supplier partners.

Travel agent professionals throughout the 14 Western states and readers of TravelAge West were invited to vote on the best-of-the-best from a list of Editor’s Pick award recipients that were chosen after careful review by Editor-in-Chief Ken Shapiro and the editorial team of TravelAge West.  Review methods included product analysis, on-site visits, a survey of a select group of travel agents and online research.

“After extensive research by our editorial staff, we have no doubts that the companies we’ve honored are truly the best in their fields,” said Shapiro. “We are delighted to acknowledge them with this award.”

At the black-tie event, guests dined on a four-course meal while being treated to a multimedia presentation of the award recipients.

“The WAVE Awards are a celebration of excellence in travel products, services and destinations,” said Michelle Rosenberg, publisher of TravelAge West. “This year’s WAVE winners have consistently demonstrated excellence within the travel marketplace.”

TravelAge West will also feature Starwood in a special WAVE Awards Spotlight Issue due out in August 2009.

“We have a corporate philosophy that supports the travel professional and throughout the company we recognize the valuable business this market brings to our almost 1,000 hotels around the world. Through StarwoodPro, our travel professional program, we are continuing to expand this relationship, with new learning and development modules, travel professional rates, fully commissionable special offers and incentive programs such as our current Book and Win BIG one million Starpoints® sweepstakes. This promotion awards 50,000 Starpoints a month to one travel professional and will culminate with one travel professional winning one million starpoints at the end of 2009. Every booking can qualify for an entry. We appreciate the agency community recognizing our support and we in turn want to recognize theirs,” said Chris Austin, VP Global Customer Partnerships, Leisure & Luxury Sales.

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 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.

TravelAge West (www.travelagewest.com) has been serving the travel industry for 40 years as a leading source of travel industry news and product information. Read by travel agents, travel suppliers and travel industry professionals, the publication has a circulation of 25,000 in 14 Western United States. For more information on TravelAge West, contact Lisa Frobisher (310-954-2514; Lfrobisher@travelagewest.com).

For more information, visit www.starwoodpro.com.

White Plains, NY – April 7, 2009 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today kicked off its largest, most aggressive sales blitz in history.  For the next three days, more than 3,000 sales and hotel associates will pound the pavement calling on 20,000 key accounts and new customers throughout the United States and Canada.   With a target goal of generating $135 million in new potential revenue, Starwood’s sales blitz is one of the company’s key sales initiatives to drive business to its hotels in North America flying renowned brand flags including St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and the recently launched Aloft and Element Hotels. 

Taking an all-hands-on-deck approach, this year Starwood’s sales and catering teams will be joined by corporate executives and hotel teams including General Managers, Chefs, Executive Housekeepers, Concierges, etc., to call on all segments of business from retail travel agents to meeting professionals to corporate travel planners.

“If ever there was a time to illustrate the power of face-to-face meetings and the importance of hitting the road to see clients, build relationships and close sales, this is it,” said Scott Hermes, Senior Vice President of Field Sales and Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.   “In addition to ultimately driving revenue to our hotels, we think it is just as important to send our teams out en masse, galvanize our associates and show what an important tool business travel and meetings are, and the role they play in stimulating the economy.”

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 940 properties in approximately 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 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.

WHITE PLAINS, NY (March 4, 2009) –Starwood Hotels & Resorts created a global pre- and post-cruise hotel booking option for travel professionals available today at www.starwoodpro.com. Travel professionals and their clients can choose from 60 port cities in 17 countries and more than 140 hotels in the Starwood portfolio, representing all nine Starwood brands.

For clients cruising to or from New York, Miami, Vancouver, Sydney, San Diego, Honolulu, Bangkok or any other major cruise port, Starwood would like to be the destination of choice pre or post cruise. Extending a vacation prior to departure or after the return to port, can enhance the overall cruise experience and vacation for clients. Clients can also benefit from great rates which include daily breakfast. Pre and post cruise rates through Starwood are also fully commissionable to travel professionals.

“Starwood recognizes that every time your customer travels, they may not select a land based vacation,” said Chris J. Austin, Vice President, Global Customer Partnerships, Leisure & Luxury Sales.  “We partner with many cruise lines in the industry, and truly recognize the value of the cruise traveler to the industry as a whole. This new initiative provides additional options for travel professionals as they strive to build the best vacations for their customers and the best profit potential for themselves.”                      

The new pre and post cruise booking option is sponsored by Starwood Pro, a user-friendly interface for Starwood and its travel professionals.  The packages can be reviewed at http://www.starwoodpromos.com/travelprofessional-cruise/ and reservations are bookable through all primary booking methods, including online at www.starwoodpro.com.  Travel Professionals can also call 1-800-334-8484 and request promo code PPC or search in the GDS under promotional rates.

"Starwood has been a steadfast supporter of the dedicated travel agencies of the CLIA community, accepting our agents' credentials for commissions and supporting our agents through training and sponsorship of our annual Cruise3Sixty event,” said Terry Dale, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).   “This newest initiative, with pre and post cruise packaging, is yet another opportunity for our travel professionals to satisfy their customers and support our partners."

Any pre and post cruise booking made during 2009 will also qualify travel professionals for an entry in Starwood’s new “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes. The sweepstakes will run through 2009 with twelve monthly prizes of 50,000 Starpoints and a Grand Prize of one million Starpoints.  Travel professionals can visit www.starwoodpro.com , click on the “Book and Win BIG” link to register and add their bookings.  Each booking added is another qualifying entry.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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/pressclub 

About StarwoodPro
Successfully launched in late 2007, StarwoodPro establishes a sophisticated, user-friendly interface between Starwood and travel professionals including a robust search and booking engine, complete brand information and access to Starpicks (the lowest internet rates available from Starwood), and the travel professional learning and development program ProLearning. To participate in ProLearning, travel professionals should visit www.starwoodpro.com today. All travel professionals who complete the first module of ProLearning are then qualified for the new STARPRO travel professional rates.

WHITE PLAINS, NY (February 23, 2009) – For Jann Koert of KDM Travel in Davenport, LA, a dream has come true. Koert is the first monthly winner in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes for travel professionals. Koert’s booking of a two-night stay at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, FL for one of her clients was the lucky winner of 50,000 Starpoints.

In December, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced “Book and Win BIG,” a new sweepstakes opportunity for its travel professional partners, in conjunction with StarwoodPro, a user-friendly interface for Starwood and its travel professionals. The sweepstakes will run throughout 2009 with the grand prize winner announced in January 2010.  All travel professionals are eligible to participate in the “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes and to date, more than 2,000 travel professionals have logged bookings in the program. To enter, travel professionals can visit starwoodpro.com, click on the “Book and Win BIG” link to register and add their bookings.  Prizes for the winners of the “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes, include:                                                                                         

•           Twelve monthly prizes of 50,000 Starpoints® awarded as part of the Starwood Preferred Guest® hotel loyalty program (details available at SPG.com)

•           Grand Prize – One Million Starpoints®

All Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints® can be redeemed on travel to more than 900 hotels and resorts in 95 countries across Starwood’s nine world-class brands.

One million Starpoints could buy a travel professional two weeks in a suite at the St. Regis Bora Bora, one of the top luxury resorts in the South Pacific; 50 nights at the magnificent Royal Hawaiian which reopened as a Luxury Collection property in January this year or the new St. Regis Princeville opening next summer; a month stay at the legendary St. Regis New York; or every single weekday for an entire year at a Four Points by Sheraton. Travel professionals can explore and start dreaming by checking out the redemption rates today at www.spg.com/redeem. 

Travel professionals are also encouraged to dream out loud by posting what they would do with one million Starpoints at www.starwoodpro.com.  Bonnie Heyman of The Travel Station Inc. in Fort Lauderdale said “My dream is to stay at every Starwood hotel in Italy.”   She would have her pick of more than 30 properties from The Hotel Gritti Palace in Venice, a property built in 1525, to the luxurious St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome.

 “Starwood wants to reward its travel professional partners for satisfying their customers and supporting our brands. By creating the “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes, we can make their travel dreams come true, too,” said Chris Austin, Vice President of Global Customer Partnerships Leisure Luxury Sales for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “In this tough economic climate, we certainly appreciate their support more than ever, and we hope we are providing a bit of joy for them at the same time.”

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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/pressclub

StarwoodPro®
Successfully launched in late 2007, StarwoodPro establishes a sophisticated, user-friendly interface between Starwood and travel professionals including a robust search and booking engine, complete brand information, access to Starpicks (the lowest internet rates available from Starwood), and the recently launched learning and development program ProLearning. To participate in ProLearning, travel professionals should visit www.starwoodpro.com today. All travel professionals who complete the first module of ProLearning are then qualified for the new STARPRO travel professional rates. Additional benefits will be added to the StarwoodPro program throughout 2009.

WHITE PLAINS, NY (December 16, 2009) – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces “Book and Win BIG,” a new sweepstakes opportunity for its travel professional partners.  Each time a reservation is confirmed at any Starwood hotel or resort property, travel professionals are eligible to submit an entry into the StarwoodPro “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes. The winning travel professional will receive 1 million Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints® to redeem on travel to more than 900 Hotels & Resorts in 95 countries across nine world-class brands. 

One million Starpoints could buy a travel professional two weeks in a suite at the St. Regis Bora Bora, which was just voted top luxury Resort in the South Pacific by Luxury Travel Advisor Magazine; 50 nights at the magnificent Royal Hawaiian which reopens as a Luxury Collection property next month or the new St. Regis Princeville opening next summer; a month stay at the legendary St. Regis New York; or every single weekday for an entire year at a Four Points by Sheraton. Travel professionals can explore and start dreaming by checking out the redemption rates today at www.spg.com/redeem.

“Starwood wants to reward its travel professional partners for satisfying their customers and supporting us. By creating this 1 million Starpoints sweepstakes, we can make their dreams come true, too,” said Chris Austin, vice president of Global Customer Partnerships Leisure Luxury Sales for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “In fact, we would love travel professionals to share their dreams with us by first submitting their entry and then submitting their dream.”

Travel professionals can visit the “Book and Win BIG” site today and tell Starwood what they would do with 1 million points so Starwood can share those dreams with the rest of the industry. All travel professionals are eligible to participate in the “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes. Any confirmed reservation at a Starwood property made via the GDS, any of Starwood’s branded websites, a Starwood call center or through a tour operator or wholesaler is eligible for an entry. Each confirmed reservation must be followed by the completion of an entry form. Travel professionals just need to visit starwoodpro.com, click on the “Book and Win BIG” link to register or add their bookings.  Each booking added is another qualifying entry. The “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes will run throughout 2009 and the winning entry will be drawn in January 2010.

•           Grand Prize – One Million Starpoints® awarded as part of the Starwood Preferred Guest® hotel loyalty program (Details available at SPG.com)

•           Plus, twelve monthly prizes of 50,000 Starpoints®

The launch of the “Book and Win BIG” sweepstakes is sponsored by StarwoodPro, Starwood’s travel professional program. Successfully launched in late 2007, StarwoodPro establishes a sophisticated, user-friendly interface between Starwood and travel professionals including a robust search and booking engine, complete brand information and access to Starpicks (the lowest internet rates available from Starwood), and the recently launched learning and development program ProLearning. To participate in ProLearning, travel professionals should visit www.starwoodpro.com today. All travel professionals who complete the first module of ProLearning are then qualified for the new STARPRO travel professional rates. Additional benefits will be added to the StarwoodPro program throughout 2009.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Starwood Preferred Guest® is unique in its free night awards with no blackout dates or availability restrictions. Very simply, if there's a standard room available on the chosen night, it can be booked with starpoints. Free Night Awards can be redeemed for as few as 2,000 Starpoints® in popular cities or be used at rates of up to 35,000 points a night for stays at magnificent resorts in the world's most sought-after places, or upgrade to a Specialty Room or Suite at participating hotels starting at just 1,000 Starpoints®.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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/pressclub 

WHITE PLAINS, NY Oct. 27, 2008 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts, today announces the launch of ProLearning – a new, online travel professional training program designed to help travel professionals better understand each of Starwood’s nine brands in order to customize travel according to consumer preferences. ProLearning also includes a short-term sweepstakes opportunity for all participants, as well as attractive STARPRO rates for those who complete the training.

ProLearning allows travel professionals to work on-line at their own pace, with little advance work or preparation. Approximately 20 to 45 minutes in duration, each of the training modules will contain video, audio and high-resolution visuals, and include learning aids such as supplemental offerings and hyper links to other sites.

“We have created a multimedia learning experience to help travel professionals get to know our portfolio of lifestyle brands,” said Chris Austin, Vice President Global Customer Partnerships, Leisure and Luxury Sales for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. “ProLearning will help travel professionals better understand and experience our brands, learn more about our hotel and resort locations, and find topics that are relevant to their business, all with the goal of improving profit performance and deepening customer relationships.”

While ProLearning has a focus on Starwood’s hotels and brands, it also explores general consumer needs and motivations. ProLearning defines what makes a brand, examines the human truths that impact purchase decisions and provides insight to help travel professionals better understand and meet customers’ travel objectives.

Travel professionals who complete the first module will qualify for exclusive STARPRO rates through Starwood’s new Travel Professional Experience Rate program. STARPRO rates start at $69 and can be booked at www.starwoodpro.com.

“We want to reward travel professionals for giving their time to gain additional expertise and knowledge about our brands by giving them the chance to experience our hotels and resorts firsthand,” said Austin.

Adding to the rewards, travel professionals who pass module one of ProLearning by January 31st 2009 will automatically be entered to win one of nine sweepstakes awards. Starwood’s nine world-class brands have each contributed incredible sweepstakes prizes that will provide winners with an insider’s look at the unique customer experience that each brand offers. Those who pass are also eligible to win up to a four-night stay at one of Starwood’s participating properties around the world.

Prizes include four night stays at The W Retreat & Spa – Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean. There, travel professionals can sip a cocktail at the swim-up bar, discover marine life amongst the beautiful coral, or rejuvenate their body and soul at the AWAY Spa. Other participating properties include The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. Spanning 44 acres, this lush landscaped property is edged by powdery white sands and a crystalline lagoon. The resort’s 100 exquisitely designed guest rooms include the largest overwater villas in the South Seas as well as stunning beach villas furnished in exotic woods, handwoven fabrics and regional art.

Recognized by the Travel Institute, ProLearning also awards participants with Continuing Education (CEU) credits based on satisfactory completion of each module. ProLearning training modules are most effective when completed in one sitting but are designed to allow travel professional to start work, leave and return. To meet the needs of global travel professionals, beginning December 1 the modules will also include a downloadable script translated into multiple languages.

Sponsored by Starwood to support the business development needs of the travel professional community, ProLearning follows the successful launch of StarwoodPro in late 2007. StarwoodPro establishes a sophisticated, user-friendly interface between Starwood and travel professionals including a robust search and booking engine, complete brand information and access to Starpicks (the lowest internet rates available from Starwood). Additional benefits will be added to the StarwoodPro program throughout 2009. To participate in ProLearning, travel professionals should visit www.starwoodpro.com/prolearning today.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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/pressclub

WHITE PLAINS, NY Sept, 30, 2008 – In a constant effort to optimize and enhance solutions for the travel professional, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, today, announced StarCom in partnership with Worldwide Payment Systems (WPS), an industry leader in Travel Agency commission processing and payments. In tandem with, StarwoodPro, a dedicated one-stop-shop for the travel professional, StarCom offers a worldwide consolidated payment program for all participating Starwood hotels.

With this partnership we will be able to offer a complete free-of-charge processing, payment and recovery tool to the travel professional community said Linda Kent, Vice President Electronic Distribution, which will include:

 Online Tracking – search for the payment status of a commission by hotel name, guest name, Starwood confirmation number or dates of stay;
 Online Commission Claim – create a new commission claim or track an existing claim online;
 Reconciliation - Customized payment reports designed to be imported into back office systems for reconciliation;
 Global Commission Recovery (GCR) – WPS will help travel professionals recover commission;

“We know that good business is as much about reliability as it is about building a positive, rewarding relationship, and how we handle the payment of commissions is a very large part of that,” said Chris Austin, Vice President of Global Customer Partnerships, Luxury and Leisure Sales. “We believe that StarCom will strengthen our partnership with the travel professional, as we understand that being paid for the business you book with us should be a simple, accurate and efficient process.“

Starwood is in the process of transitioning its Hotels & Resorts to StarCom which will continue though Q4 2008. An announcement will be made to the industry once the conversion is complete.

Starwood continues to develop programs and deliver new solutions to the travel professional community including the launch of StarwoodPro in late 2007. StarwoodPro establishes a sophisticated, user-friendly interface between Starwood and travel professionals including a robust search and booking engine, complete brand information and access to Starpicks (the lowest internet rates available from Starwood).Additional features include complimentary travel professional amenity order forms for resort vacations in Hawaii, Caribbean and Mexico and access to almost 100 daily special offers at properties around the world. Additional benefits will be added to the StarwoodPro program throughout 2008 and 2009.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. 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/pressclub

About Worldwide Payment Systems S.A
Worldwide Payment Systems (WPS) is a leading data and payment processing company specialized in solutions for the tourist industry. WPS offers a wide portfolio of services and personalized instruments to achieve efficiency and transparency when making information or payment transaction. Among others, WPS provides payments services, billing solutions, reconciliation tools and automation of administrative processes. WPS is currently optimizing the business flows of more than 100,000 travel industry players in 190 countries. For more information please visit www.wpsnetwork.com and click on ‘’Contact us for further information"

Starwood Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce 37 of its hotels from six brands are listed on the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine 2008 Gold List in the January issue. Below are the hotels listed by brand:

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, California
St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco, California
St. Regis Resort, Aspen, Colorado
The St. Regis Hotel, New York, New York
The Lanesborough, A St. Regis Hotel, London, England
St. Regis Hotel, Beijing, China
St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai, China

The Luxury Collection
The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Arizona
Princeville Resort, Island of Kauai, Hawaii
Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg, Austria
Hotel Bristol, Vienna, Austria
Hotel Imperial, Vienna, Austria
Hotel Kamp, Helsinki, Finland
Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice, Italy
Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian, Spain
Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville, Spain
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Thailand*
Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, Thailand

Westin Hotels & Resorts
The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas
The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy
The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy
The Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland
The Westin Palace, Madrid, Spain
The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
The Westin, Beijing, China*
The Westin Bund Center, Shanghai, China
The Westin, Melbourne, Australia
The Westin, Sydney, Australia

Le Méridien
Le Méridien Vienna, Austria
Le Méridien Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco*
Le Royal Méridien Bristol, Warsaw, Poland
Le Méridien, Bora Bora, French Polynesia*

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Hotel Villa Cipriani, Asolo, Italy
Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Bangkok, Thailand
Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, Australia

W Hotels
W Hotel, Mexico City, Mexico*

*First time on the list

Starwood Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce 27 of its hotels from six brands are listed on the Travel + Leisure magazine – The World’s Best 500 Hotels in the January issue. Below are the hotels listed by brand:

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, California
St. Regis Resort, Aspen, Colorado
The St. Regis Hotel, New York, New York
The Lanesborough, A St. Regis Hotel, London, England
St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome, Italy
St. Regis Hotel, Beijing, China
St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai, China

The Luxury Collection
The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Arizona
Princeville Resort, Island of Kauai, Hawaii
Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg, Austria
Hotel Imperial, Vienna, Austria (#1 in Vienna)
Hotel Bristol, Vienna, Austria
Hotel Kamp, Helsinki, Finland
Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice, Italy
Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian, Spain
Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville, Spain

Westin Hotels & Resorts
The Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy (#1 in Florence)
The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice, Italy
The Westin Palace, Madrid, Spain
The Westin Bund Center, Shanghai, China*

Le Méridien
Le Méridien Budapest, Hungary
Le Royal Méridien Bristol, Warsaw, Poland
Le Méridien Pyramids, Cairo, Egypt*

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
The Royal Hawaiian, Island of Oahu, Hawaii
Hotel Villa Cipriani, Asolo, Italy
Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Bangkok, Thailand

*First time on the list

If you’ve ever visited, or sent one of your clients to a hotel spa expecting luxury and found the whole experience a bit lackluster, you know that all hotel spas are not created equal.  In its frenzy to capture a share of the over $10 billion spa business, the hotel industry has often taken a liberal approach to designating luxury spas.   In an industry first, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) has set new standards for its spas with the launch of the Starwood Spa Collection.

The Starwood Spa Collection is one of the world’s largest associations of premier-level spas, now featuring 59 elite spas in 22 countries across six continents representing the Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, St. Regis®, the Luxury Collection®, Westin® and W Hotels® brands. Membership serves as an endorsement of quality, as collection spas are required to exhibit a set of programmatic and physical criteria in order to meet the expectations of size, quality and sophistication to which spa enthusiasts are now accustomed.

While guests can expect a comprehensive offering of spa services from each collection member, no one experience will be like the other. Instead, the Starwood Spa Collection celebrates cultural differences and provides spa enthusiasts with boundless travel choices to fulfill their personal quests for well-being. How? Inspiring The Starwood Spa Collection are The Seven Pillars of Well-Being .  These elemental facets of health, beauty and inner peace provide a comprehensive approach to spa experiences and ensure that the spas of the Starwood Spa Collection approach both body and mind in a holistic fashion.

For more information and to check which Starwood Hotels & Resorts are members of the Starwood Spa Collection, visit www.starwoodspacollection.com.

Hot on the heels of its record-breaking success in 2006, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT)  announces that it anticipates executing 200 new deals and opening more than 80 new hotels in 2007, almost doubling the number of properties the company opened last year.  Underscoring the company’s aggressive portfolio expansion across all nine of its brands, Starwood currently boasts a global pipeline of approximately 420 hotels and more than 100,000 rooms. Starwood has also taken the lead in the upper upscale and luxury segments, with 38 percent of the hotels and rooms in the industry pipeline, according to Smith Travel Report. 

In the midst of its most prolific growth spurt ever, Starwood’s historic expansion is a result of the company’s dynamic development efforts outside of North America and increased penetration in the previously untapped select service and extended stay markets.

“Starwood has garnered more than its fair share of new hotel deals as a direct result of the tremendous value we create for owners and developers through the distinct positionings of each of our brands in the global marketplace,” said Raymond “Rip” Gellein, President, Global Development Group.  “We look forward to continuing our aggressive expansion in destinations and markets around the world in which we have traditionally not had a presence.”

Starwood Preferred Guest has lead the pack again by winning 11 Freddie Awards.

But who’s counting? This year, Starwood Preferred Guest® was the winner of more awards than

any other travel program — including Best Award Redemption for the eighth straight year — at the 19 th Annual Freddie Awards. We also won Best Affinity Credit Card, and at the same time ended the nine-year run of Club Rewards® by Diners Club®. Check out the full list of Starwood Preferred Guest Freddie Award wins by category

(Americas; Europe, Middle East, Africa; Japan, Pacific, Asia and Australia):

- Best Award Redemption ................... Americas, EAME, AP

- Program of the Year ............................... EAME, AP

- Best Bonus Promotion ........................ AP

- Best Elite-Level ........................................... EAME, AP

- Best Customer Service ....................... EAME, AP

- Best Affinity Credit Card ................. Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express

It’s no surprise considering our outstanding employees, our alluring collection of properties and

the fact that we don’t have any redemption restrictions to get in our members’ way. And if you voted thanks for an extraordinary showing at this year’s Annual Freddie Awards.

The Freddie Awards were created almost 20 years ago by InsideFlyer magazine to recognize the world’s most outstanding frequent-travel programs. Today, Freddie Award–winning frequent-travel programs like Starwood Preferred Guest are the gold standard against which all others are judged.  

Underscoring its commitment to custom-tailored guest experiences in the best addresses around the world, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts proudly announces St. Regis Aficionado—offering unparalleled privilege and insider access to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and events. Through

exclusive partnerships with some of the world’s most sought-after brands and personalities, including Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Fendi, Patek Philippe, Christie’s Auction House, Bottega Veneta, Michael Mina and Krug Champagne, St. Regis has created a series of unprecedented events.“We’re taking bespoke to the next level with St. Regis Aficionado by providing extraordinary experiences and unmatched privilege available to guests of St. Regis,” said Ross Klein, President of Starwood’s Luxury Brands Group. “From Monarch Beach to Manhattan, Bora Bora to Beijing, at St. Regis, nothing less than an exceptional level of service, coveted address and unique personal offering will do.“

St. Regis Aficionado events and experiences have included for example the opportunity to be part of a deep sea fishing trip with Chef Jean-Georges, followed by an intimate dinner prepared by the renowned chef at St. Regis Resort, Bora Bora; an unprecedented opportunity to shadow a PGA TOUR player as an honorary observer during a Pro-Am tournament at St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach; a private tour of Galleria Colonna in Rome, a historical site closed to the public at St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome; special access to Christie’s annual auction in London at The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel; and exclusive winemaker dinners and private champagne tastings of the world’s most coveted bubbly, Krug Champagne, at St. Regis Resort,

Aspen and St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco

 St. Regis Aficionado events are scheduled for St. Regis properties around the world. Events are open to all guests and are reserved on a first come basis at stregis.com/aficionado , or by contacting travel professionals. All St. Regis Aficionado events are commissionable to Travel Professionals. Please visit www.stregis.com < http://www.starwoodhotels.com/promotions/promo_landing.html?category=ST_AFICIONADO >

  for more information.

On May 14, 2007 Westin Hotels & Resorts announced the formation of the Westin Renewal Council, a panel of six lifestyle experts who will advise Westin on initiatives that bring to life the brand’s positioning of personal renewal.  The Renewal Council—which includes trainer to the stars David Kirsch, renowned psychologist Dr. Dale Atkins and TV’s home-makeover consultant Vern Yip— will provide tips and editorial content for the hotel industry’s first signature in-room television channel as well as findrenewal.com, a new interactive website.  

Working with Westin and their in-room entertainment group, Council Members will help develop programming specific to their areas of expertise and advise on the direction of the channel, which will begin appearing in rooms at the beginning of 2008.

The website, findrenewal.com , which launched in late May, provides visitors—Westin guest and non-guests alike—advice, recipes and tips from the Renewal Council, organized in helpful categories such as “Restore,” “Energize” and “Create.”  Tips range from how to infuse your workspace with personal style to how to eat well for better performance on the road and are.  The daily tips are available via email, RSS feeds, and can also be delivered directly to users’ desktops or blogs via a custom widget.

Through the in-room channel and findrenewal.com, which features rich content cultivated by the council, Westin’s hope is to be a daily resource for people in search of simple and meaningful ways to enrich their lives and find personal renewal