Starwood Continues Its Expansion in China with Signing of Its 32nd Property

Starwood;
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and Shanghai You You Group Company, Limited have announced an agreement to have Starwood manage the Sheraton Shanghai Hotel & Residences, Pudong in China. Scheduled to open in mid-2008, the hotel and residences will be part of a multi-purpose complex that houses the hotel in one tower and serviced residences, offices and retail space in the other two towers.

Located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, the hotel will be next to the new Shanghai World Exposition site, venue of the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, and Nanpu Bridge, providing easy access to the city's central business district and places of interest on both sides of the Huangpu River. The hotel will feature 509 rooms, 150 serviced residences, and close to 16,400 square feet of meeting and function space. The hotel facilities will also include four dining outlets, a health club and spa, an indoor swimming pool and retail center

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is well-entrenched and established in China and was the first international five star hotel brand to open in China with the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing which debuted twenty years ago. Since then, Sheraton has grown to be a respected international landmark, spreading across 15 cities throughout China.

"Sheraton today is very much a part of the business and social life in China, whether for business travelers, meetings and incentives, or for families and friends to socialize and enjoy good dining," said Miguel Ko, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia-Pacific. "We are very proud to be working in partnership with Shanghai You You Group Co. Limited to bring a new Sheraton to China."

With this addition, Starwood will be able to offer travelers a choice of five upscale hotels in the exciting cosmopolitan hub of Shanghai which include:

-- Sheraton Shanghai Hotel & Residences (opening 2008)

-- W Shanghai - Pudong (opening 2008)

-- The Westin Shanghai

-- St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai

-- Sheraton Grand Tai Ping Yang Hotel, Shanghai

Starwood expanded its portfolio in China significantly over the last year with the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Shenzhen, and the signing of Sheraton hotels in Shenzhen, Xiamen, Changsha, Ningbo and Haikou. In the first quarter of 2005, the hotel giant also signed two new hotels : Sheraton Chongqing Hotel and The Westin Nanjing. With a total of 19 operating hotels and 13 hotels under development in China, Starwood is well-established as the largest international operator of upscale hotels in China.