Sheraton And Four Points By Sheraton Brands Set To Debut In The world heritage site of halong bay

Sheraton And Four Points By Sheraton Brands Set To Debut In The world heritage site of halong bay

May 22, 2007

Four Points by Sheraton and Sheraton Halong Bay will open
in northeastern region of Vietnam in 2008 and 2010


    SINGAPORE, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Starwood
Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today
announced that it has reached an agreement with Royal
International Corporation to develop two hotels in the
World Heritage site of Halong Bay, Vietnam : Sheraton
Halong Bay Resort and Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay. 
The 160-room Four Points by Sheraton hotel is expected to
open in early 2008 and the 300-room Sheraton Halong Bay
Resort will open in 2010.  The Four Points by Sheraton
Halong Bay will also be the first Four Points by Sheraton
hotel to open in Vietnam.  Starwood currently operates
Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel
in Vietnam.

    The two-hotel project further strengthens the position
of Starwood as one of the largest international upscale
hotel chains in the Thailand and Indochina region (Vietnam,
Cambodia and Laos).   Starwood currently operates 13 hotels
in the region, with 11 more under development in Bangkok,
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Angkor
and now Halong Bay.

    "Starwood is excited to bring two of its renowned
brands to the fast-growing Indochina region.  The Sheraton
and Four Points by Sheraton brands each bring to life their
own distinct brand positionings, delivering a differentiated
travel experience for travelers," commented Miguel Ko,
President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific. 
"Vietnam is amongst the fastest growing nations in
Southeast Asia and in the world, with GDP growth
anticipated at 7.1% and tourism growth at 20%.  Since early
this year, about 1.462 million foreign tourists have visited
Vietnam, up about 12.5% from the previous year. We also
expect Vietnam's entry into World Trade Organization (WTO)
to drive leisure and business travel into the country as it
gains international prominence.  The growing demand presents
to us tremendous opportunities as the first international
upscale hotel group to debut in Halong Bay, a popular
tourist destination in Vietnam," added Ko.

    Halong Bay is located in northeastern part of Vietnam
and consists of a cluster of 1969 limestone monolithic
islands which rise from the ocean along a 120 kilometer
coastline, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone
pillars. In 1994, UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage
site for its geographical and geomorphologic values,
confirming the global premier value of H-long Bay.  Halong
Bay is also attached to the glorious pages of Vietnamese
history and home to the great biodiversity with typical
eco-systems like mangrove forest, coral and tropical
forests.  Halong Bay is also popularly known as the film
site for the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never
Dies" and was also featured on Amazing Race 10 in
2006.  Halong Bay is approximately 170 km east of Hanoi,
the capital city of Vietnam (approximately 2.5 hours by
car).

    Four Points by Sheraton Halong Bay's facilities will
include 160 rooms, 4 restaurants and lounge, 2 meeting
rooms, a gym, spa and indoor swimming pool.  Sheraton
Halong Bay Resort will feature 300 rooms, with 4
restaurants and lounge, a gym, outdoor pool and spa, as
well as over 1,500 square meters of meeting space.  Both
hotels will be developed on a 12 hectare site, which is
slightly undulating and gently sloping upwards, offering
guests breathtaking views of Halong Bay.

    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of
the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with
approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and
145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator
and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following
internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury
Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by
Sheraton, W(R), Le M¨¦ridien(R) 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
http://www.starwoodhotels.com .

    (Note: This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of federal securities
regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees
of future performance or events and involve risks and
uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual
results or events to differ materially from those
anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are
made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail
in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Although we believe the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable
assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations
will be attained or that results and events will not
materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly
update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)


    For more information, please cotact:

     June Seah
     Marketing Manager, Greater China & Taiwan
     Starwood Hotels & Resorts
     Tel:   [phone]
     Fax:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]