Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has completed an agreement with O&S Holdings, LLC to operate a new 200-room luxury hotel and conference center under its upper-upscale Westin brand in Huntsville, Alabama. The facility will also include 40 privately-owned residences occupying the top five floors of the 12-story complex. The Westin Huntsville, slated to open in fall 2006, will be located in the heart of Cummings Research Park - the second largest research park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. The hotel will be the centerpiece of the $200 million O&S Holdings BridgeStreet development - a neo-urban upscale lifestyle center complete with shopping, dining, entertainment, office, apartments and residences. BridgeStreet is also scheduled to open in the fall of 2006.

“We’re thrilled that the Westin brand is coming to Huntsville, which will be our first property in the state of Alabama,” said Sue Brush, Westin’s senior vice president. “The city is an important regional business center and home to several Fortune 500 technology companies situated in eleven industrial and research parks in the area.”

Westin brings modern luxury to Huntsville delivering unmatched comfort and outstanding service in an environment characterized by an elegant, calming and subdued sense of style. Guests at The Westin Huntsville will enjoy amenities such as rooms equipped with a large work area and a two-line speakerphone, wireless high speed Internet access, fully-stocked refreshment center, and in-room movies.

Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds(R) will be featured in every room, providing guests with the ultimate in comfort and the best night’s sleep possible. Sumptuous, stylish and plush, the all-white Heavenly Bed(R) consists of a custom designed pillow-top mattress set; a cozy down blanket; three crisp sheets ranging in thread count from 180 to 250; a comforter; luxurious duvet; and five of the best pillows in the business. Since making its debut in 1999, the Westin Heavenly Bed has reached near iconic stature, and sparked a bedding revolution in the hotel industry that continues to rage. More than 19 million guests have tucked themselves into a Heavenly Bed on the road including thousands of politicians, sports icons and celebrities.

The Westin Huntsville will also feature the brand’s other “heavenly” product - its highly acclaimed Heavenly Bath(R), which includes a custom-designed dual showerhead that provides guests with a therapeutic shower spa, featuring several spray options, from light mist to massaging needles and a curved shower rod that adds an extra eight inches of elbow room.

Guests staying at The Westin Huntsville will also be able to earn their way toward free travel through the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, consistently rated the best hotel frequency program in the world. With more than 700 participating hotels and resorts around the world, the program is the industry’s most global and offers a structure focused on simplicity and flexibility in redemption options and inclusion of all Starwood’s brands.
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