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CHICAGO / Oct. 5, 2001--W Hotels, the hottest brand in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT family, officially opened W Chicago - Lakeshore to a full house with occupancy rates exceeding expectations. As the only hotel located on the city's famous Lake Shore Drive, this is the second W Hotel to open in Chicago this year, bringing the total number of W properties to 15.

"The W Chicago - Lakeshore opened its doors to enthusiastic travelers who want to see first-hand what the newest W is all about," said Barry Sternlicht, chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "Riding on the crest of the W Chicago - City Center's tremendous opening in June, the success of W Chicago - Lakeshore demonstrates a complementary fit between the evolving W brand and the Chicago market."

W Chicago - Lakeshore faces the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan and is backed by the dramatic Chicago skyline. With 556 stylish guestrooms, the W Chicago - Lakeshore evokes a sense of Zen-glamour and becomes an ideal escape from all of the city's commotion.

While W Chicago - City Center, which opened this summer, evokes the architectural elegance of 1940's Chicago, W Chicago - Lakeshore merges Asian simplicity with a luxurious twist. Every corner of the hotel - from the living room to each luxuriously designed guestroom - is meticulously designed to soothe the body and mind.

A modern fusion of destination dining and cocktail culture, Wave, designed by Ilan Waisbrod of Studio Gaia, brings a fresh concept in contemporary Mediterranean cuisine and informal fine dining to W Chicago - Lakeshore. Executive Chef Jason Paskewitz' stylish take on Mediterranean cuisine is refined and modern, hearty yet urbane.

"We are thrilled to be a part of the W Hotel family," said Cornerstone Management principal David Zadikoff, who partners with Michael Jordan on one sixtyblue restaurant in Chicago and several other restaurant ventures across the country. "W Hotels are recognized for their innovation and quality and we are particularly proud to bring Wave into their striking Lakeshore property."

Located on the rooftop level, WHISKEY SKY is the latest from renowned nightlife impresario Rande Gerber. This new hot spot continues Gerber's tradition of the chic and sexy lounge along with a happening mix of intimacy and action; the perfect nightspot for local residents, hotel guests and visitors to the Windy City seeking the ultimate in a nightlife experience.

Meeting every conceivable need of business travelers, W Chicago - Lakeshore guestrooms feature the latest in cutting-edge technology. W guestroom trademarks also include an oversized desk, upholstered chaise lounge, specially designed room accessories and natural fabrics throughout. The focus of all guestrooms is the luxurious W signature bed, with a pillow-top mattress, 250 thread-count linens, and goose down comforters and pillows.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 725 properties in 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and W Hotels brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit us at www.starwoodhotels.com.

Pete Zudyk
312/255-4428
Starwood