SAN FRANCISCO -- Jay Rosenthal, General Manager of W San Francisco, is pleased to announce the one year anniversary of the hotel, located directly across from the Moscone Convention Center and adjacent to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). W San Francisco is part of the new brand of business hotels being launched nationwide by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. The 31-story, 423-room hotel is positioned at the corner of Third and Howard streets in the city's thriving Yerba Buena district. Other W Hotels currently open include Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle, Sydney and three locations in New York City. W Hotels still to come in 2000 include W Union Square, a fourth property in New York and the national launch of W Suites in Newark, California.

As with all W hotels, W San Francisco's modern, sophisticated design combines the personality and style of independent hotels with the reliability and substance of a big hotel company. W strives to wow the guests – immediately upon arrival with striking design and throughout their stay with small surprises, extreme comfort and warm, welcoming service.

Designed by the architectural firm of Hornberger + Worstell, W San Francisco is a modern yet classical structure that artfully complements the distinctive architectural environment of the neighboring Yerba Buena Gardens and SFMOMA.

External design elements include a striking gray granite facade piped with polished black stone, an octagonal, three-story glass entrance and lobby and the Pneumatic Dreamer, an outdoor sculpture five times life-size, resting permanently, with one arm draped casually over the edge of the fourth story outdoor terrace, 46 feet above street level on W San Francisco's Third Street podium frieze. Conceived by local artist Michael Stutz, and built of irregularly sheared, annealed bronze strips woven together into a massive reclining form, the Pneumatic Dreamer is approximately 30 feet long and over seven feet high. The open, latticed construction of the design allows light to dance through the sculptural space, shifting between the internal and external realms, emphasizing the airy, "pneumatic" quality of the figure.

XYZ, W San Francisco's signature restaurant, combines the visionary talents of Gail Defferari, who has earned local and national acclaim for her work at Universal Cafe, and Executive Chef Jeffrey Amber, recently selected as a "Rising Star" – one of The City's top five young chefs – by the San Francisco Chronicle. An upscale, bi-level venue situated on the first floor of the hotel, XYZ features a sleek dining room, and a mezzanine bar serving wine, beer and fine spirits. The menu offers a dramatic selection of French-influenced, seasonal California cuisine.

W San Francisco's meeting and convention facilities offer full catering with seasonally fresh, restaurant style cuisine at the direction of Banquet Chef Patrick Fleming. The 9,500 sq. ft. of event and meeting space, comprised of eight conference rooms and two hospitality suites, feature high-speed Internet access and state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment.

W Hotels are managed (and in some cases owned) by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., a hotel owner, operator, and franchiser with approximately 716 hotels with over 217,000 rooms in over 70 countries. In addition to W, Starwood owns five of the worlds most renowned hotel brands, including Sheraton, Westin, The Luxury Collection, St. Regis and Four Points.

For reservations at W San Francisco call 415/777-5300 or visit our website at www.Whotels.com

Melinda Speck
415/817-7849
Starwood