Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced plans to open its first Westin hotel in Phoenix, Arizona in February 2011. The Westin Phoenix Downtown will offer a prime location just one block from the Phoenix Convention Center, the city's largest convention and entertainment facility. The 242-room hotel will feature sophisticated oversized guest rooms, averaging 550 square feet, as well as a full suite of the Westin brand's signature amenities and services.

The Westin Phoenix Downtown will occupy nine floors of a sleek, new 26-story building known as Freeport McMoRan Center, a significant new landmark on the downtown Phoenix skyline. Located at 333 North Central Avenue, the mixed-use complex will also feature 2,100 square feet of ground floor retail, premium office space and indoor parking. Surrounded by a choice of restaurants, shops and nightlife, the new hotel will be across the street from a METRO light rail station, where guests can hop on a train to Sky Harbor International Airport. Also nearby are the US Airways Center, Chase Field and Copper Square, and the regional headquarters for JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. The Westin Phoenix Downtown will also be located adjacent to the Arizona State University Downtown campus, home to several of the university's programs including the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"Westin continues to be a market leader in the upper-upscale segment fueled by the success of its distinctive wellness positioning," said Paul Sacco, Senior Vice President of North America Development. "Looking ahead, we have identified tremendous opportunities to grow the Westin brand in key markets across the Unites States through new builds, conversions and adaptive re-use development projects like the new Westin Phoenix Downtown."

"We look forward to making our debut in downtown Phoenix, where guests can enjoy a restful urban retreat with exceptional city views," said Nancy London, Vice President, Westin Hotels & Resorts. "Staying at a Westin is simply different. We make the healthiest choices irresistibly appealing, with innovative programs that ensure that guests always leave a Westin feeling better than when they arrived."

The soothing Westin Sensory Welcome will create an oasis of calm as guests enter the hotel, with its subtle White Tea by Westin fragrance, gentle music, botanicals and mood lighting. The brand's world-renowned Heavenly BedTM is an oasis of lush sheets, down cushioning, and a patented pillow-top mattress. With ten layers of comfort, this custom bed is designed for a deep, undisturbed sleep that energizes your body and brain. The Westin Heavenly Bath experience will transform guests shower or bath time into an intensely rejuvenating spa-like experience. In-room, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space will offer travelers convenience and productivity in a tranquil setting.

An ideal venue for weddings, social galas and business functions, The Westin Phoenix Downtown will feature nearly 9,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities, including pre-function space and the latest in meeting technology. The hotel will also feature a 24-hour WestinWORKOUT gym, enabling guests to maintain their exercise program and stay in the best possible shape, physically and mentally.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts | Westin Hotels & Resorts makes the healthiest choices irresistibly appealing, so guests leave feeling better than when they arrived. With over 170 hotels and resorts in over 36 countries and territories, Westin is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1000 properties in nearly 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Méridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), and Element SM. 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 .

Jennifer Leemann
914-640-8539
Starwood