ELEMENT Hotels to Wake Up Extended Stay Options for Travelers

Inspired by Westin Hotels & Resorts, ELEMENT Leawood will offer a new extended stay experience that weaves together modern amenities, intuitive design and nature-inspired touches. Every guest will get a clean and "green" start to their day thanks to the ELEMENT brand's eco-friendly bathroom equipped with low-flow faucets, dual-flush toilets and shampoo and conditioner dispensers (to eliminate multiple mini-bottles). It's no wonder guests will leave Leawood's newest hotel knowing what it truly means to wake up and thrive.

Awaken to Smart Design

The ELEMENT brand's unique, smart design philosophy is evident from the moment guests arrive. After passing through a signature portal that provides a literal bridge to the ELEMENT interior haven, guests will be greeted with streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall. The vitality of the lobby will be matched by the energy of the hotel's outdoor fire pit and barbecue, where a regular nightly gathering will give guests an opportunity to interact, while sipping a glass of wine or draft microbrew beer.

"ELEMENT Leawood will provide guests with endless opportunities to thrive," said Brian McGuinness, Vice President of ELEMENT & ALOFT Hotels. "With ELEMENT we hope to create a haven for guests to work, relax, and socialize -- enabling them to be at their best while away from home for longer periods of time."

The smart design and clever use of space in the hotel's 138 guest rooms will be aimed at encouraging guest productivity while also facilitating relaxation. ELEMENT Leawood's open, modular flow will blend together each part of the guestroom to create a residential feel. Guests will be able to customize their rooms to match their habits through multi-purpose, modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets. In addition, each room offers a complete kitchen that features modern, energy-star rated appliances and all the tools and utensils to prepare a gourmet meal. Guests will also rest soundly in the renowned Westin Heavenly Bed(R), and recharge each morning in a sleek, contemporary bathrooms with oversized spa showers.

A Vital Travel Hub

Part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Leawood offers all the perks of a major city but has the feel of a small town. Leawood provides an abundance of fine dining and unique shopping opportunities, and its thriving business community continues to grow, in part due to its newest neighbor, the Sprint World Headquarters Campus. This one-of-a-kind facility spans over 4 million square feet and is home to over 14,000 employees. If touring the corporate park isn't for you, you can take a quick drive to Kansas City, one of the Midwest's most vibrant cities.

"Leawood is the perfect place for travelers to awaken to the newest mode of extended stay travel," said Brandon Raney, Vice President of Development for Presidian Companies. "Visitors to ELEMENT Leawood will not only appreciate the easy access to Kansas City and its most popular attractions, but also the unique richness that the area has to offer."

Space to Live Your Life

A signature breakfast offering, fully equipped fitness center and uninterrupted indoor/outdoor public spaces will deliver a multi-functional, natural environment that provides guests with the space to work, relax or socialize. Intuitive staff will provide guests the personalized attention they need and the space they desire to live a complete and balanced life while at the hotel.

ELEMENT Leawood will also feature over 800 square feet of meeting space, an integrated technology center and library, as well as cafe seating, a workspace and a flexible lobby lounge space. For breakfast, guests will be able to choose among several options, including its signature hot breakfast sandwich, fresh fruit and cereal bar.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 890 properties in more than 100 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.)