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W Hotels Worldwide Appoints Renowned Stylist and Fashion Expert Amanda Ross as First Ever Global Fashion Director

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:27:59 +0200

From Paris Fashion Week, W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, tonight celebrates an industry first, the appointment of international stylist and fashion authority Amanda Ross as the brand’s first ever Global Fashion Director. For more than 10 years, W has continually broken new ground through innovative and first-of-its-kind fashion initiatives and programs. As W Hotels continues to grow globally, on track to increase its footprint to more than 50 hotels by 2011, Ross will serve as a strategic fashion advisor to the brand, providing global insight and guidance for an integrated, cutting-edge approach to fashion.

W Hotels Worldwide’s European Flagship W Barcelona Hotel Celebrates Official Launch with Unique “W Premiere” Event

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:24:44 +0200

W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, today celebrates the official unveiling of W Barcelona which opened its doors on October 1, 2009. Over the course of the next three days, W Barcelona will highlight the W brand’s passion points of fashion, design, architecture, music and “B&F” (beverage & food) through a new event series called “W Premiere.”

Starwood Announces Plans to Add 50 New Hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East by 2012 and Debuts Sheraton Brand in Slovak Republic

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:29:33 +0200

From the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announces plans to open 50 new hotels in its Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) division by 2012. And with the recent opening of the Sheraton Bratislava Hotel - along with 13 additional hotels slated to open this year - the division is firmly on track to reach this goal.

Staff Movement - Vasant Prabhu

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:20:33 +0200

Vasant Prabhu has been appointed Vice Chairman at [[Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.]] in White Plains - NY, United States. Prabhu, whose new title is Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, will continue to report to van Paasschen. In his new role, he is not a member of the Company’s Board of Directors. Prabhu, 50, joined Starwood in 2003. Prior to joining Starwood, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Safeway Inc., one of North America’s largest food retailers. He also served as President of Information and Media Group for The McGraw Hill Companies and Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Pepsi Cola International where he was responsible for the company’s franchise and owned operations in more than 100 countries. Prabhu holds an M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, India. He and his family reside in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Staff Movement - Ralph Burnet

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:24:55 +0200

Ralph Burnet has been named Developer of the Year for 2009 at [[Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.]] in White Plains - NY, United States. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has named Ralph Burnet, and his company RWB Development, 2009 Developer of the Year. The honor was announced at the recent Starwood North America Owners Conference held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The award was presented in recognition of Burnet’s two Starwood-managed properties, W Minneapolis – The Foshay and the recently converted, Le Meridien Chambers, both located in Minneapolis. The Starwood Developer of the Year award recognizes those organizations or individuals that opened hotels between Sept. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009 and went above and beyond to ensure that development was on-time, on-strategy and on-brand. In presenting the award to Burnet, Denise Coll, President of the North America Division, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, noted his “passion for art, design and lifestyle hotel brands as reflected in his two spectacular properties.” The award was presented as part of the First Annual North America Owner Awards and was one of 19 awards presented in eight different categories. Other categories included: Environmental Sustainability, Community Outreach, Conversion of the Year, New Build of the Year, Renovation of the Year, Deal of the Year and the President’s Award.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Goes Live with Global TelePresence Meetings Suites Allowing Guests to Meet Across Continents

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:15:45 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) unveiled its first in-hotel Cisco TelePresence meeting suites today with a virtual, interactive meeting spanning across two continents. The W Chicago City Center and Sheraton on the Park Sydney are the first in Starwood's global portfolio to introduce the new meeting facilities, showcasing the state-of-the-art Cisco TelePresence technology. Guests and corporate clients were brought together in a true-to-life meeting setting, despite more than 9,000 miles apart and the 17 hour time difference. Participants in both locations had a seat at the table and were able to meet "face-to-face" utilizing ultra-high definition video, superior audio and life-size imagery of all participants.

Westin Hotels Curates Wellness Store for Amazon.com - Becomes the First Hotel Brand to Launch Online Storefront for Retail Giant

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:22:21 +0200

Westin Hotels Curates Wellness Store for Amazon.com - Becomes the First Hotel Brand to Launch Online Storefront for Retail Giant

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:23:19 +0200

Today, Westin Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of the first hotel branded storefront for Amazon.com. Known for its history of innovation and dedication to preserving wellness on the road, Westin Hotels has curated a collection of wellness focused products including merchandise from like-minded brands such as Gaiam, Kate's Paperie, Tea Forte and Riedel

Dubai’s Iconic Grosvenor House Joins the Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:02:15 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. today announced the debut of its renowned Luxury Collection brand in the United Arab Emirates with the addition of Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai. Located on the exclusive Dubai Marina, the prestigious 45-story Grosvenor House hotel first opened its doors in 2005 and quickly became one of the world’s most acclaimed hotels.

Skip a Trip to the Check-in Desk at Tech-Forward Aloft Hotels

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:04:11 +0200

Industry innovator Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today announced an unprecedented Smart Check-In pilot program at its much-talked-about, tech-savvy Aloft® Hotels brand that allows travelers to skip the front desk at check-in and head directly to their rooms. Made possible through a partnership with VingCard Elsafe, the Smart Check-In caters to a new generation of guests on the go who are more interested in high-tech than high-touch service. Technology has been a vital component of the brand’s DNA from day one, when Aloft Hotels debuted in virtual reality on Second Life.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Extends Global Footprint with $4 Billion in New Developments Through 2012

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:43:33 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced today that its global powerhouse, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, is increasing its worldwide footprint through a strategic expansion that will add approximately 50 new hotels and over 20,000 rooms to the brand over the next three years.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Offers Great Travel Deals with Hotel Promotions in Africa this Summer

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:45:22 +0200

With football fans converging on South Africa this summer for one of the biggest sporting events in the world, Starwood Hotels and Resorts (NYSE: HOT) has launched an African travel promotion offering discounts of up to 40 percent off best available rates for early bookings.

Westin Increases Global Footprint in 2010, Opening 14 New Hotels

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:54:16 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces plans to open 14 new Westin Hotels in 2010. This year’s openings span China, Greece, Japan, India, Mexico, the United States, and Canada – including newly opened The Westin Wall Centre in Richmond, Vancouver. Other 2010 openings include The Westin Mumbai Garden City in India; The Westin Nanjing in Shanghai, China; The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino in Messinia, Greece; The Westin Austin at the Domain in Austin, Texas; and The Westin Sendai in Sendai, Japan.

W Hotels Worldwide Debuts Global Flagship, W Hollywood Hotel & Residences

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:23:31 +0200

“W Hollywood is a crown jewel in our investment portfolio, and offers a truly unique location that is a perfect blend of lifestyle, entertainment, hospitality and commerce,” said Clark Hanrattie, Chief Investment Officer for HEI Hotels & Resorts

W Hotels Worldwide Debuts Global Flagship, W Hollywood Hotel & Residences

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:17:38 +0200

W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, recaptures the spirit of Hollywood glamour with the unveiling of W Hollywood Hotel & Residences. Located at the historic intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine, this $350 million complex, developed by Gatehouse Capital and owned in a joint venture by HEI Hotels & Resorts and Gatehouse Capital, in affiliation with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro), offers W’s jet-setting guests, residents and Hollywood’s fashionable locals a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience. The opening of W Hollywood kicks off another year of international growth for W Hotels, which is on track to more than double its global portfolio by 2011.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Exploring Redevelopment Plan for the Sheraton Manhattan at Times Square

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:46:22 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced today a redevelopment plan for the 665-room Sheraton Manhattan at Times Square in New York City. The company is exploring a variety of options to maximize the long-term value of this significant asset which occupies 395,000 square feet of real estate, covering a full city block, bounded by Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 51st and 52nd Street near Times Square. The redevelopment plans will include a hotel flying one of Starwood’s brand flags, in possible combination with retail and office uses. Given the hotel’s incomparable footprint, Starwood has received considerable interest from investors and developers to partner on the project and the company has assembled a project team to assist in evaluating a full range of options and partners over the coming months.

Le Meridien Expands in North America Adding Minneapolis’ Award-Winning Chambers Hotel to Its International Portfolio

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:11:32 +0200

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced that the Minneapolis-based Chambers has joined Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand with an international presence of 105 hotels and resorts. The addition of Chambers has increased the brand’s footprint to 10 hotels in North America. Opened in 2006 by prominent art collector Ralph Burnet, Chambers is considered one of the world’s top art hotels, featuring more than 250 original artworks by such noted artists as Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk. The hotel has been renamed Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Launches Multi-Million Marketing Campaign to Support $6 Billion Brand Revitalization

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:08:07 +0200

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts announced today the launch of a new $20 million dollar, multi-media marketing campaign created to highlight the brand’s $6 billion revitalization effort. Launching today, the “Rediscover Sheraton” campaign encourages travelers to take a new look at Sheraton, which features an enhanced guest experience following a three-year, global brand overhaul. This is the first new marketing campaign to debut for Sheraton in two years.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Slated to Open 80-100 Hotels in 2010

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:56:12 +0200

From the American Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in San Diego, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announces it expects to open another 80-100 high quality new-build and conversion hotels in 2010, coming off of the 83 opened and 77 new deals signed in 2009. Of these new hotels, roughly 70 percent will be outside of North America, with the majority in Asia Pacific. And Starwood’s upper upscale and luxury brands are leading the charge, representing more than 60% of the new openings. Among these hotels and resorts is expected to be its 1,000th property globally.

Staff Movement - Kevin Rockey

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:20:28 +0200

Kevin Rockey has been appointed General Manager at W London-Leicester Square in London, United States. W Hotels Worldwide has announced the appointment of Kevin Rockey as general manger of W London-Leicester Square, the contemporary lifestyle branded hotel operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Rockey joins the 192-bedroom hotel from the Morgans Hotel Group where for the past 10 years he has held several positions including hotel manager at the Sanderson hotel and most recently as hotel manager at St Martins Lane, London. “Kevin’s London know-how and design hotel experience will be invaluable to us for W to really make its mark in London when we debut this summer,” said Robyn Pratt, brand leader for W hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. “As we continue to transform W into a global powerhouse, with openings in international ‘it’ locations like London, we need talent like Kevin who share in the brand’s and the destination's passion for fashion, design and entertainment.”