Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is pleased to announce that the San Diego Marriott Suites has converted to the Sheraton Suites San Diego effective April 1, 2002. Starwood, Sheraton`s parent, purchased the property in 1997, and has since been managing the property under the Marriott flag. The new Sheraton flag will allow for streamlined operational procedures and upgraded amenities. The current management team will oversee the transition and continue to manage the property as the Sheraton Suites San Diego.

In conjunction with its new Sheraton Suites flag, the property is upgrading its suite accommodations with state-of-the-art new beds and baths. The bed begins with a unique custom coiled Posturepedic Plush mattress with layers of comfort designed by Sealy. Luxuriously wrapping the mattresses are three sheets and new duvet cover with down fill, surrounded by down and feather pillows and anchored by newly designed bed ruffles. The bath features a custom-designed Speakman showerhead to provide more power and wider water coverage and curved shower curtain rod that provides eight additional inches of elbowroom (and eliminates the dreaded shower curtain cling).

Sheraton Suites San Diego will feature a new 24-hour Business Center with individual workstations and high-speed Internet access, among all the services of an upscale business center. All suites are designed for the business traveler with work desks and new two-line phones, including a speaker phone and cordless phone, while five suites will be designated as business-friendly “Smart Rooms” with such features as an all-in-one copier, fax machine and printer, oversized work desk, ergonomic chair and task lamp. The leisure traveler will enjoy all the upgraded amenities and improved comfort levels of the hotel.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com.
——-