WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. | Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the signing of a management agreement with Les Trois Rocs to open the W Verbier Retreat in the stylish ski resort town of Verbier, Switzerland. The 142-room W Verbier Retreat is slated to open in late 2009 and will be W’s first ski Retreat and first hotel in Switzerland, further strengthening W’s position as the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world.

The W Verbier Retreat will be the first internationally branded hotel in this premier ski town and is expected to become one of Verbier’s leading après-ski destinations offering panoramic views and unbeatable proximity to the slopes. Located at the base of the mountain, W Verbier Retreat will offer ski-in, ski-out access to gondolas that take skiers directly to Verbier’s ski runs. The hotel will be part of a luxury mixed-use development project owned by Les Trois Rocs, which will also include two retail buildings, a restaurant and a night club.

“W continues to extend beyond the boundaries of everyday travel, offering a magical mix of sexy destinations and sublime design,” said Ross Klein, President of Starwood’s Luxury Brands Group. “The combination of Verbier’s stylish jet set, stunning views, and world-class skiing makes this destination a perfect match for W.”

Expected to become a hotspot for Verbier’s fashionable visitors, the W Verbier Retreat will feature a signature restaurant, destination bar, W Living Room, and a spa and fitness center. The hotel’s four buildings, designed in the Swiss chalet style, will be interconnected by glass corridors. Guest rooms will offer breathtaking views of Verbier’s ski slopes, as well as the surrounding valley and mountains.

Located in the ‘Medran’ area of the ski town of Verbier, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, the W Verbier Retreat will be an exciting addition to the other recently announced W hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East in destinations including Milan, St. Petersburg, Barcelona, Athens, Istanbul, Dubai and Doha. The W Verbier Retreat also strengthens W’s portfolio of Retreat hotels, joining the award-winning W Maldives, and two additional Retreats that are currently under development: W Vieques and W Koh Samui.

“We are incredibly excited about the W Verbier Retreat, which marks W’s first entry into a European ski destination,” said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood the Europe, Africa and Middle East. “The W Verbier Retreat confirms Starwood’s commitment to the development of the W brand in Europe, Africa and Middle East, providing another fabulous destination for our guests.”

Verbier is situated in the heart of the Alps at an altitude of approximately 5,000 to 11,000 feet and enjoys an exceptionally sunny climate due to its southwesterly exposure. Renowned for its spacious and well-maintained ski slopes, Verbier is one of the leading ski resorts in Europe.

After a day of skiing, guests will delight in W’s signature bed, outfitted with feather-top mattresses, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose down comforters. The W Verbier Retreat will also offer W’s signature Whatever/Whenever service, the hotel’s 24-hour concierge that can provide whatever guests want – from a pair of running shoes to private jet service – whenever they want it.

About W Hotels Worldwide

W Hotels is a global lifestyle brand with 21 properties in the most vibrant cities around the world. Inspiring and indulging its guests with thoughtful, refreshing and stylish experiences, signature restaurants, bars and destination spas, W has become the fastest growing luxury hotel brand in the world. Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design, comfort, and cultural influences from fashion to music to art and everything in between. W’s first residential property, W Dallas-Victory, opened in June of 2006, and soon thereafter was named a Forbes Magazine “Top Business Hotel.” W Residences, offering the W lifestyle at home, have been announced for Scottsdale, Fort Lauderdale, Downtown New York, Hoboken, Philadelphia, Downtown Atlanta, South Beach, Hollywood, Phoenix, Austin, and Las Vegas. Internationally, W has announced plans for hotels in Hong Kong, Istanbul, Doha, St. Petersberg, Santiago, Milan, Athens, Shanghai, Dubai-Festival City, Barcelona, Dubai-The Palm and Guangzhou. W’s first Retreat & Spa, W Maldives, opened in September of 2006 and in March of 2007, received the prestigious Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Resort. W has plans to open Retreat & Spa hotels in Vieques, Koh Samui, and Verbier, the latter of which will serve as the brand’s first ski retreat. For more information, visit .

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 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®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM 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

About Les Trois Rocs
Les Trois Rocs is the team behind the highly acclaimed Medran Project, a pedestrian-friendly development, that will include the new W Verbier Retreat and commercial spaces set idyllically on the slopes of Verbier. The idea of Medran was conceived as part of a plan to offer holiday luxury, while adhering to the genuine spirit and charm of the Swiss Alps. One of Verbier’s most prominent architect bureaus is amongst an impressive line-up of experienced industry professionals that make up the Les Trois Rocs team. Due to be completed in 2009-2010, the Medran Project will provide visitors with unprecedented luxury, while adding beauty and pride to Verbier’s local community.

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.

Leila Siman
+1 914-640-2635
Starwood