The Westin Queenstown to Debut in 2009 in New Zealand's Otago Queenstown Region

Offering lakefront and mountain views, The Westin Queenstown will be located on Lake Wakatipu at Kawarau Falls Station in Queenstown. It will feature 177 rooms, including 12 suites and 7,800 square feet of meeting space. Guests will have the choice of two unique dining experiences, including a world class gourmet restaurant with lakefront views and a casual bistro. In addition, the hotel will feature a lounge, a renewing spa and wellness center, a gym and a heated indoor swimming pool. The hotel will be located approximately three minutes by car from the Queenstown airport and about five minutes from the center of Queenstown.

"Infusing the natural beauty of Lake Wakatipu with the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel, travelers to scenic Queenstown will now have a new option for being at their personal best," said Sue Brush, senior vice president of Westin Hotels & Resorts.

One of the most beautiful towns in Otago, Queenstown offers year-round attractions and an impressive array of leisure activities and adventure sports. Visitors are drawn to Queenstown's clear lakes, mountains, ski slopes and world-class vineyards. Surrounded by the Southern Alps, the town sits on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, the third largest lake in New Zealand. Most notable in the area is the Remarkables mountain range, which provides a dramatic backdrop to the lake on which the new Westin hotel will reside.

"Located at the best lakefront location in Queenstown, The Westin Queenstown will offer breathtaking views and gorgeous sunsets," said Mr. Nigel McKenna, Managing Director of Melview. "We believe the hotel will be regarded as one of the iconic residential, leisure and entertainment developments in the Southern Hemisphere."

Guests at The Westin Queenstown can rejuvenate with Westin's signature amenities and services, including the Westin brand's signature Heavenly Bed(R) and Heavenly Bath(R). Guests can also enjoy the WestinWORKOUT(R) Powered by Reebok fitness facility and WestinWORKOUT(R) Rooms, for those who prefer to exercise in the privacy of their own room.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts(R), with more than 127 hotels and resorts in more than 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc(R). Starwood(R) 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 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) and ELEMENT(SM) 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 .

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.