Starwood's Aloft Brand Opens in Liverpool

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced the opening of Aloft Liverpool, the second Aloft hotel in the UK. Set in the 110-year old Royal Insurance Building, Aloft Liverpool is an adaptive reuse project that is breathing new life into this historic building. Delivering urban-influenced design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point, Aloft Liverpool will feature 116 loft-like guest rooms and Aloft Hotel's signature W XYZ^® bar, a buzzing social space where guests can mix and mingle, work or grab a drink with friends.

Located in central Liverpool on the corner of Dean Street and North John Street, the sleek new hotel is perfectly situated within easy reach of the fabulous shops, buzzing nightlife and world-class galleries and museums. Getting around the city couldn't be easier, the central business district and key visitor attractions are all within walking distance.

The opening of Aloft Liverpool is the culmination of an £18 million investment project to regenerate and preserve Liverpool's historic Grade II listed Royal Insurance Building. The development has been led by Ashall Property who worked alongside Liverpool City Council and English Heritage to transform this, once neglected, building into a sleek new, hotel.

"Aloft is enjoying tremendous global growth fuelled by the enthusiasm of travellers who want great design and a fresh, fun atmosphere" said Colin Bennett, Area Manager UK & Ireland, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Aloft Liverpool perfectly illustrates how we can transform a once derelict, historic building, into a world-class hotel and bring new life into the local area. We are extremely proud of what has been achieved and feel confident that both the local community and visitors to Liverpool alike will embrace the transformation of this much-loved building."

Aloft Liverpool boasts urban-inspired spacious rooms, featuring the brand's signature loft-like ceilings of nearly three metres high, oversized windows and ultra-comfortable plush platform beds. Guests can enjoy large walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads and complimentary Bliss Spa® bath amenities. Designed for the savvy next generation of global travellers, Aloft Liverpool offers fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and in the lobby.

Recreational facilities at the hotel include Re:charge^SM fitness centre, which is open 24/7 for guests' gym fixes day or night. Visitors can also grab a quick foodie fix at Re:fuel by Aloft^SM, a one-stop, 24-hour grab-and-go food and beverage area. Arf ^SM is an exclusive pet-friendly programme, where pets can enjoy a stay with complimentary treats and toys. The hotel also offers a suite of five Tactic meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art audio, visual, plasma TV and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Aloft Liverpool's W XYZ^® bar is the perfect place for hotel guests and locals alike to enjoy a refreshing seasonal cocktail and catch up-and-coming music acts that are part of Aloft's signature Live at Aloft Hotels music events. Opening their doors to fresh music perspectives, Aloft Hotels regularly team up with cutting-edge musicians to bring live performances to properties around the world.

"As Aloft continues its incredible growth momentum around the world, we're thrilled to bring the energy of the brand to the vibrant city of Liverpool," said Brian McGuinness, Global Brand Leader, Aloft Hotels. "Aloft has a longstanding passion for supporting up-and-coming music talent and we're thrilled to offer an exciting destination to showcase local rising acts in this world-class music city."

Aloft Liverpool is the fourth Aloft hotel in Europe and second in the UK, with five more slated to open across Europe in the next three years. Part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts company, Aloft Liverpool is managed by Redefine | BDL hotels, the leading hotel management company in the UK managing a diverse collection of branded and private label hotel properties across the UK and Africa.

Helder Pereira, CEO, Redefine|BDL Hotels comments: "We're thrilled to be managing such an iconic property, in the exciting city of Liverpool. Aloft Liverpool's modern guest experience is set to energise the hotel scene in the city by offering an appealing new option to the next generation of travellers."

Mark Ashall, Director of Ashall Property said: "The opening of the Aloft is the culmination of four years' work on the project by Ashall Property and our development team. We are proud to have completed a stunning renovation of one of Liverpool's most iconic buildings which has seen it being taken off the 'at risk' register and brought back into productive use. This has been a very challenging project and we would like to record our appreciation to Liverpool Council and all the other parties who contributed to its successful conclusion."

Aloft Liverpool is currently offering an early booking discount of up to 20% off for stays completed before 31^st March 2015. For more information and to read the terms and conditions, please visit www.aloftliverpool.com.

About RedefineIBDL Hotels
Redefine|BDL Hotels, the UK’s largest independent hotel management company, manages a diverse collection of 54 branded and private label hotel properties across the UK and Africa. Working in partnership with five of the most prestigious international hotel brands, including Hilton Worldwide, Best Western, IHG, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the business is a driving force in the hospitality industry in the UK and abroad. The company offers a wealth of hotel and project management expertise and currently has an annual turnover under management in excess of £200m. Redefine|BDL Hotels’ expert team of more than 90 hotel specialists operate from offices in London and Glasgow. The portfolio unites more than 6,000 rooms and 3,000 staff across the UK, Liberia and South Africa. www.redefinebdl.com

About Ashall Property
Ashall Property is a private property investment and development company that focuses on creating investment value through property development and asset management. Established in the 1930s, Ashall Property has been developing properties throughout the UK for more than 80 years. The company first made a name for itself as an award-winning house builder and building contractor, before moving into commercial, municipal and retail property construction and development. It has developed a range of successful projects throughout the UK, including Cobalt Park – one of the UK's largest office parks. Ashall Property has developed projects with an investment value of £500 million in recent years, comprising around one million square feet of office and commercial space. In addition to sourcing and negotiating direct property transactions, it works with partners to implement appropriate capital structures, procure third-party financing and provide proactive asset management and development services. Ashall Property takes sustainability seriously and environmental considerations are taken into account in all of its development and asset management work. It has worked with a number of high-profile clients over the past 80 years, including P&G, Santander, G4S, Tesco, the NHS and Job Centre Plus.