Starwood Hotels Debuts Its Four Points by Sheraton Brand in the Dominican Republic

Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village Opens within a Leading Commercial Development, near the Airport, Shops and Dining

STAMFORD, Conn.--()--Powering ahead in key international markets, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced it has returned to the Dominican Republic with the landmark debut of its Four Points by Sheraton brand in Punta Cana. Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village opens today in a prime location, just steps from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). It is the first of two hotels Starwood will open this year in the Dominican Republic with its partner Grupo PUNTACANA, and will be followed by The Westin Puntacana Resort in late 2013.

“We are thrilled to introduce our fast-growing Four Points by Sheraton brand to the Dominican Republic, right at the heart of the bustling PUNTACANA Village development,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Four Points Puntacana Village offers travelers a relaxed atmosphere in a stylish setting along with all the amenities they love in one of the world’s most popular island destinations.”

The newly constructed hotel features 124 stylish and comfortable guest rooms, an outdoor pool and access to five miles of private beach. Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village also provides 1,614 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting facilities, a 24-hour business center, a fully equipped fitness facility and full-service dining. Guests can stroll to the shops, restaurants and salons of Galerias PUNTACANA within the Village, and hop on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle to visit Six Senses Spa, the PUNTACANA Ecological Reserve and a choice of world-class golf courses located at PUNTACANA Resort & Club.

“Grupo PUNTACANA is proud to partner with Starwood Hotels to open the first Four Points in the Dominican Republic, soon to be followed by the island’s first Westin resort,” said Alberto Abreu, Executive Director of Hospitality for Grupo PUNTACANA. “Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village offers travelers the opportunity to enjoy style, comfort and affordability in a terrific location on the island.”

About Four Points by Sheraton

Great Hotels. Great Rates: With more than 160 Four Points by Sheraton hotels in nearly 30 countries, travelers can find the timeless style and comfort they’re looking for with genuine service and everything that matters most, all around the world. From Santiago to Shanghai and Milan to Milwaukee, Four Points hotels can be found in big urban centers, by the airport, near the beach, and in the suburbs. A recent $1 billion invested in renovations, conversions, and new-build hotels has made the brand stronger than ever.

Four Points by Sheraton, like all brands within Starwood’s portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, which offers a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, visit www.spg.com.

About Grupo PUNTACANA

The development of Grupo PUNTACANA dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; 45 holes of championship golf and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home. Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,112 properties in nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.) The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Contacts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Stacy Trevino, 203-964-4661
Stacy.Trevino@starwoodhotels.com

Contacts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Stacy Trevino, 203-964-4661
Stacy.Trevino@starwoodhotels.com