Starwood Hotels & Resorts Unveils Its Newest Brand

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Unveils Its Newest Brand

October 23, 2006

ELEMENT Hotels, Created by Westin Hotels, To Transform the Extended Stay Experience

    SINGAPORE, Oct. 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Starwood
Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today
unveiled its newest hotel brand:  ELEMENT, created by the
team behind Westin Hotels & Resorts.  Incorporating
smart design, modern style and a social environment,
ELEMENT is targeted to travelers staying for an extended
period of time, and promises to help guests live their best
lives on the road.  In September, Starwood unveiled the
brand to North American developers and this week will
introduce the new brand to the Asia Pacific market at the
Hotel Investment Conference (HICAP) in Hong Kong during the
second leg of a global road show.  The brand is currently
developing a custom prototype for Asia Pacific that will
appeal to travelers visiting the diverse region.  

    "With Westin, we recreated the upper-upscale
segment in the hotel industry.  Strategically, ELEMENT fits
into this mold-it is about creating a new category from the
ground up," said Starwood's Chief Executive Officer
Steven J. Heyer.  "We know that Starwood's guests are
hungry for a new kind of extended-stay experience, and
ELEMENT fills this white space in our portfolio perfectly. 
The name ELEMENT really gets at what we are aspiring to-a
new approach that will offer guests a brand experience, not
just a hotel." 

    "With the globalization of industry, international
markets have a growing need for extended stay hotels, and
Starwood has identified the Asia Pacific region, including
China, India and Australia as ideal markets for our new
ELEMENT hotels," commented Miguel Ko, President of
Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific." 

    ELEMENT will feature several signature flourishes that
evoke nature.  A dramatic multi-story window-wall will
flood ELEMENT's lobbies with natural light.  Public spaces
in the hotels will also include a tranquil water feature
and design touches inspired by nature.  ELEMENT will also
incorporate an outdoor haven, with a courtyard and patio
where guests are invited to socialize and relax by an
outdoor fire pit and barbeque. During their stays, guests
will discover smart design features that will make their
stays easier, from modular furniture designed to encourage
multi-tasking and productivity, to swiveling flat-screen
televisions.  

    "The name ELEMENT really evokes the spirit of the
brand," said Sue Brush, Senior Vice President of
Westin Hotels & Resorts.  "This brand is about
smart design, features inspired by nature, and creating
space where guests can be `in their element.'" 

    To bring the ELEMENT brand philosophy of "a space
to live your life" to fruition, Starwood eschewed
traditional hotel design shops and partnered with leading
residential architect, Costas Kondylis, and interior design
firm AvroKO, considered innovators in smart space living. 
The result includes large kitchens with stainless steel
appliances, custom-designed closets, in-room offices and
gourmet pantries.

    ELEMENT is inspired by the Westin hotel brand.  Guests
will sleep in the famed Heavenly Bed(R) and experience the
large, state-of-the art fitness facilities for which the
brand is well known.   Other touches will remind guests of
Westin, from the signature scent in ELEMENT lobbies to the
renewing touches spread throughout the hotel. 

    "The large market for the concept and the brand's
efficient design, coupled with the strength of Starwood's
marketing platform and Westin's history of innovation, have
generated significant attention from the development
community," said Raymond L. "Rip" Gellein,
Jr., President of Starwood's Global Development Group.

    When complete, the ELEMENT prototype will be a
fully-documented turn-key solution for owners and
developers.  Design development plans, pre-determined
design packages and specified and sourced furniture,
fixtures and equipment all add up to an industry leading
development toolkit.  From ground breaking to grand
opening, the ELEMENT development process is supported by
architecture, design, operations and marketing
professionals experienced in helping developers succeed.

    The ELEMENT growth strategy targets locations in proven
markets -- urban centers, corporate business parks,
airports, resorts and lifestyle centers.  The brand will be
introduced in major destinations in Asia, Europe, Africa,
the Middle East, South America, and North America, and
Starwood anticipates 500 hotels worldwide. Travelers will
soon be able to find the space to live their life ...
wherever there travels take them.

    Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 127 hotels and
resorts in 31 countries and territories, is owned by
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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
ELEMENT 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 . 

    ** Please contact Starwood's new, toll-free media
hotline at (866) 4-STAR-PR
       (866-478-2777) for photography or additional
information.**

    (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 contact:

     Hwee Peng Yeo
     Corporate Communications Manager
     Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Asia Pacific
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.