Interstate Hotels & Resorts (Merged Meristar & Interstate)

ARLINGTON, Va. – Interstate Hotels & Resorts (OTC: IHRI), a leading hotel real estate investor and the nation's largest independent management company, today announced that the company had received a waiver through June 30 related to the requirement under its senior credit facility to maintain listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The NYSE suspended trading of Interstate's stock on March 12 after the company failed to meet the minimum $15 million market capitalization requirement. Trading of the company's stock has transitioned to the OTC market and the NYSE listing continues pending the appeal process.

"We appreciate the continued support from our bank group and have begun discussions regarding extending the facility's March 2010 maturity," said Bruce Riggins, chief financial officer. "Our goal is to have an amendment completed prior to June 30."

As part of the waiver agreement, the interest rate on the credit facility was increased 75 basis points to LIBOR plus 350 basis points. In addition, the company paid a 50 basis point fee to consenting lenders, and the facility size was permanently reduced to $173.3 million from $198.0 million. The new facility size provides for $10 million of borrowing capacity, of which $6 million is available through June 30, in addition to cash on hand. The company does not expect to draw on the facility during the waiver period.

About Interstate Hotels & Resorts

Interstate Hotels & Resorts has ownership interests in 57 hotels and resorts, including seven wholly owned assets. Together with these properties, the company and its affiliates manage a total of 225 hospitality properties with more than 46,000 rooms in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Russia, Mexico, Belgium, Canada and Ireland. Interstate Hotels & Resorts also has contracts to manage 16 to be built hospitality properties with approximately 4,000 rooms. For more information about Interstate Hotels & Resorts, visit the company's Web site: .

This press release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about Interstate Hotels & Resorts, including those statements regarding future operating results and the timing and composition of revenues, among others, and statements containing words such as "expects," "believes" or "will," which indicate that those statements are forward-looking. Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially, including the volatility of the national economy, economic conditions generally and the hotel and real estate markets specifically, the war in Iraq, international and geopolitical difficulties or health concerns, governmental actions, legislative and regulatory changes, availability of debt and equity capital, interest rates, competition, weather conditions or natural disasters, supply and demand for lodging facilities in our current and proposed market areas, and the company's ability to manage integration and growth. Additional risks are discussed in Interstate Hotels & Resorts' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Interstate Hotels & Resorts' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Bruce Riggins
Chief Financial Officer
(703) 387-3344
Aimbridge EMEA