The Westin Boston Waterfront is Boston's Largest Hotel to Open in More Than Twenty Years

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. | Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) and Boston Convention Center Hotel, LLC announce the opening of The Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston's newest luxury convention hotel. Located on the South Boston waterfront, minutes from Boston's Logan International Airport, the financial district and downtown Boston, the hotel is connected to the city's new 1.6 million-square-foot Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). The Westin Boston Waterfront offers upscale accommodations, spectacular views of the city skyline and Boston Harbor, unique dining options, state-of-the-art meeting space, close proximity to Boston's premiere shopping, cultural and entertainment venues, and unparalleled access to all entries into the city of Boston. The hotel is owned by Boston Convention Center Hotel, LLC and is managed by Westin, Starwood's upper-upscale brand.

"This spectacular new hotel was thoughtfully designed to feature Westin's signature products, services and rituals designed to renew and enrich the mind, body and spirit of our guests at all customer touch-points," said Sue Brush, senior vice president, Westin Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to offering Westin's signature amenities and services and providing a unique retreat from the rigors of the road so they can perform their best."

The Westin Boston Waterfront, one of the most sought-after hotel projects in the country, is the latest addition to the brand as it continues to aggressively grow its footprint worldwide. In the next two years, Westin will open more than 40 hotels in locations such as Key West, the Dominican Republic, India and China. Starwood has signed a record number of new hotel deals and continues to win more new upscale, upper upscale and luxury projects than its competitors. The Westin Boston Waterfront is the third Westin in greater Boston, joining The Westin Copley Place and The Westin Waltham-Boston. With the addition of The Westin Boston Waterfront, Starwood's Westin, Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotels total 17 in the greater Boston market.

Designed by New York-based Brennan, Beer, Gorman & Monk Inc., The Westin Boston Waterfront is 17 stories with 793 upscale guestrooms, including 30 suites and two presidential suites with unsurpassed views. Additional guest services include the 130-seat restaurant "Sauciety," an 80-seat lobby lounge named "Birch Bar," a 30-seat Starbucks(R) cafe and 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, adding several eateries and premier shopping to the area. The hotel features ample meeting space to accommodate groups and events of all sizes, including two spacious ballrooms, one with an outdoor terrace. Guests will also benefit from the one-of-a-kind brand initiatives Westin is renowned for services that allow guests to rejuvenate themselves during their stay including Heavenly Beds(R) and Bath(R), WestinWORKOUT(R) Powered by Reebok fitness centers and WestinWORKOUT guestrooms and a smoke-free environment throughout the hotel.

As part of Westin's new "This is How It Should Feel" campaign, guests are welcomed in an environment that is designed to renew the senses, aiming to rejuvenate, relax and restore the mind, body and spirit. The three-story lobby area has an open, airy feel filled with natural light to accentuate the earth-toned setting, a dramatic fossil stone floor, decorative stone walls and a reflective pool. Birch trees ranging in size from 15 to 25 feet edge the space and rich, mahogany woods and millwork blend with the greenery to give the lobby a peaceful, natural feel.

Each guestroom features a soothing color palate, inspired by a New England garden and water theme. Artwork hanging in the guestrooms is an assortment of eight different images reflecting Boston landmarks created by a local photographer specially-commissioned for the project. Guestrooms boast amenities and services that cater to business travelers in anticipated Westin style with a 32-inch flat-screen television, an oversized work desk, high-speed wired and wireless Internet access, complimentary Starbucks(R) coffee, an in-room refreshment center and 24-hour in room dining.

The two presidential suites encompass approximately 1,500 square feet with spectacular 270(degree) views of the city skyline and Boston Harbor. Additional amenities in the presidential suites include high-tech "VibeMirrorTVs" embedded in bathroom mirrors, 32-inch flat-screen televisions in the bedroom and living room and Bose Wave radios.

The Westin Boston Waterfront is the only hotel connected to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Linked via a glass-enclosed skyway, and less than sixty feet away, the hotel is fully-integrated with the adjoining Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. In addition to the center's 516,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, the hotel offers 60,000 square feet of additional meeting space and a 40,000 square foot ballroom.

Westin Hotels & Resorts(R) | Westin Hotels & Resorts has 121 hotels and resorts in 31 countries and territories, and is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). It was ranked "Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upscale Hotel Chains" in the J.D. Power and Associates' 2004 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM) and was voted "Best Domestic Hotel Chain" by Global Traveler Magazine. 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 Meridien(R) and the recently announced Aloft(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 .

(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.)