Phoenix, A.Z. and White Plains, NY – September 30, 2008 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces the grand opening of the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The hotel will hold its ceremonial ribbon cutting in conjunction with the city of Phoenix on Wednesday, October 1 at 10 a.m. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen are among those speaking at the event.   The opening of the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is part of the most aggressive growth plan in the Sheraton brand’s history, with 50,000 new rooms and newly renovated rooms to be completed by 2009 in North America alone.  The newly-built hotel also heralds the revitalization of the iconic brand and illustrates Sheraton’s focus on large, urban convention center sites and booming downtown markets.  

Soaring 31 stories into the air, the stunning property is the largest hotel in Arizona and the first new hotel built downtown since 1976.  The 1,000-room hotel offers guests an inviting ambience enhanced by warm, welcoming service, upscale amenities and sleek, contemporary décor. The new hotel, along with the expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center, has repositioned Phoenix as a top destination for conventions, corporate meetings and major sporting events like the NBA All Star game, which comes to Phoenix in February 2009. Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel is also opening ahead of schedule and well within the $350 million projected budget.

“The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown is a new flagship hotel for Sheraton and is illustrative of the brand’s aggressive growth plan, which includes an investment of $2.3 billion in new hotel openings in North America,” said Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen.  “We have a long, successful history in Phoenix with an equally bright future that includes an additional six new hotels opening soon.”  

Starwood is the largest hospitality operator in the greater Phoenix area with marquee properties such as The Phoenician, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa and the recently opened W Scottsdale.  Starwood’s six new hotels in development include a Westin, an Element and four Aloft^SM hotels. Element and Aloft are Starwood’s newest brands that carry the company’s legacy of innovation into the select service category.  

“To open a hotel of this magnitude on time and on budget is a testament to the diligence of all those involved in this project,” said Leo Percopo, General Manager of the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown. “Perini Construction, the city of Phoenix, Tynan Group and Starwood all had to perform flawlessly to deliver this success.”

The Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel Connects Guests to the City and Each Other
Located in the heart of the vibrant Copper Square District, Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel has dramatically reshaped the city skyline with its cloud-like white rooftop. The hotel is just one block from the Phoenix Convention Center and five miles from the Sky Harbor International Airport.  Nearby attractions include U.S. Airways Arena, Chase Field, Phoenix Art Museum and Arizona Science Center. Guests will also have a choice of entertainment, shopping and dining in and around Copper Square.

The heart of the lobby is the Link@Sheraton^SM experienced with Microsoft®, a sleek and inviting communications lounge where travelers can stay connected with work, family and friends. Guests can hop on complimentary computers to check email, research local attractions and even print boarding passes. The Link@Sheraton Café is the perfect spot to surf the web while enjoying snacks and coffee.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel can accommodate more guests for events and meetings than any other hotel in the downtown area in its more than 80,000 square feet of flexible, state-of-the-art meeting space.

The hotel’s comfortable and stylish guestrooms feature the signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper^SM Bed, a nine-layer custom-designed ensemble boasting an exquisitely comfortable, plush mattress, fluffy down hypoallergenic pillows, crisp cotton sheets, cozy blanket and signature blanket and duvet. Sheraton also gives its guests front-row seats to high-quality, in-room programming through its Scene@Sheraton entertainment, which includes sneak previews and premier sports programming viewed on wall-mounted flat screen HDTVs.  Sheraton Club guests will enjoy upgraded bath amenities, special access to the Club Lounge, continental breakfast served daily, afternoon hors d’oeuvres and beverages, and workstations with copier, fax and printer capabilities.

Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel also offers a new, state-of-the-art fitness center developed in partnership with Core Performance, an organization that trains elite athletes and Olympians and is dedicated to providing breakthrough solutions to help individuals achieve their maximum performance.  Additional amenities include a 4,500 square-foot outdoor pool and sundeck, lobby bar, and a restaurant and lounge with outdoor seating.

For more information about the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel or to make an individual or group reservation, please call (602) 262-2500 or visit www.sheraton.com/phoenixdowntown.   

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, 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^SM, 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.