Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Returns to Okinawa, Japan with Opening of Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort

OKINAWA, Japan -- Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), today announced the opening of Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort, owned and managed byIshin Hotels Group. Located on Sunmarina Beach on the Okinawa main island, the resort is a conversion project featuring extensive renovations of both its guestrooms and public spaces. Open to guests now, Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort is on track to add a new wing with additional guestrooms, as well as a variety of hotel features, including a wellness center, new dining options and unique meeting spaces, by December 2016.

"This is an exciting chapter in the Sheraton brand's history as we bring Starwood's most global and iconic brand back to Okinawa with the opening of Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort," said Lothar Pehl, Senior Vice President, Operations and Global Initiatives, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific. "Catering to leisure and business travelers alike, Sheraton will deliver its highly-personalized service, premium amenities and compelling programming to ensure an effortless stay for guests in this tropical oasis."

Each of the resort's 200 newly renovated guestrooms and suites offers all of the Sheraton brand's signature amenities and services, including a premium sleep experience and rain shower, as well as balconies with sweeping views of the East China Sea. The resort also features a fully renovated lobby, which boasts an open, airy atmosphere, allowing guests to both work efficiently and relax and unwind. Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort serves up a variety of dining options sure to appease every kind of palate, including Senses, an all-day restaurant offering fresh, local flavors combined with superb ocean views, and Atrium Lounge, which serves the Sheraton brand's recently introduced lobby bar menu, Paired, comprised of artisanal small plates and eclectic bar snacks served alongside suggested premium wines and local craft beers.

For meetings and functions, Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort offers 260 square meters of modern indoor space, including a large ballroom, smaller meeting rooms and a pre-function area. Corporate or social gatherings can also be hosted in the garden and on the beach.

Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort is in the process of expansion plans, seeking to add 46 guestrooms in a newly built South Wing, which will be unveiled in December 2016. The resort will also add Beach Bar, a relaxing restaurant that offers light meals and refreshing drinks, including a selection of cocktails, Okinawan liquors and other delicacies. Other facilities currently being added include a new wellness center with an indoor pool, gym, communal bath, family bath, spa and beachside café, as well as a restaurant and a chapel for the most memorable ocean view wedding ceremonies in Okinawa.

"Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort is set to elevate the local hospitality landscape here in Okinawa, especially as the island continues to be a sought-after beach resort destination for domestic leisure tourism and also increasingly, for affluent global travelers," said Jean-Raphael Felus, General Manager and Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort. "We look forward to welcoming guests to this beautiful location, and in delivering an effortless experience that will enable them to explore everything this island has to offer."

Okinawa is renowned for its tropical climate, broad white sand beaches and pristine coral reefs. An island of rich native culture, the coveted destination offers exciting marine activities, including blue cave snorkel tour, glass bottom boat cruise and sunset cruise. Sheraton Okinawa Sunmarina Resort is approximately a 60-minute drive from Naha Airport, and provides easy access to Okinawa's famed attractions, including Churaumi Aquarium, heritage sites, golf courses, the neighboring new oceanographic institute and more.

For more information, please visit www.sheraton.com/okinawasunmarina.