WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb 11, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE)—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) Sister Brands Westin Hotels & Resorts and W Sweep Upper-Upscale Category: Four Points by Sheraton Brand Once Again Takes the Number One Slot in Mid-Price Category.

Westin Hotels & Resorts and W Hotels, acclaimed sister brands of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) once again swept the Upper-Upscale category of Business Travel News` “Annual Top U.S. Hotel Chain Survey” by earning the number one and number two positions.

Westin Hotels & Resorts claimed number one status for a third time in four years. W Hotels, less than one-tenth of a point away, took the number two spot. Westin and W Hotels beat out Omni, Loews and J.W. Marriott to capture the top spots in the Upper-Upscale category.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts scored number three in the Upscale category, the deepest category of all, with twelve hotel brands surveyed, outscoring Marriott and Hilton. Sheraton scored the highest for all the brands for their corporate rate program, a key factor for corporate travel buyers.

Four Points by Sheraton, Starwood`s full-service mid-scale brand, once again scored number one in the category of Mid-Price with Food & Beverage, exceeding its mid-price Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard by Marriott competitors. Of the criteria surveyed for the segment, Four Points by Sheraton scored the highest for corporate rate program, physical appearance and overall relationship between price and value.

“The voice of the travel professionals from our most valued customers as reflected in the BTN Survey provides invaluable feedback and reconfirms our commitment to providing the best in comfort and service to guests of all our brands,” said Bob Cotter, Starwood`s Chief Operating Officer. “Westin`s and W`s innovative approach to every aspect of the guest experience ensures not only the best of comfort in guest rooms with great beds and the amenities frequent business travelers demand, but excellent service that is so key to having our customers return again and again. The Sheraton brand launched exciting initiatives during the latter part of 2002, including rolling out the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed and the industry`s bold Sheraton Service Promise. We have already seen dramatic increases in our Guest Satisfaction Indexes since implementing these programs and continue to raise the bar to bring consistent high quality to guests of Sheraton. We are delighted that the Four Points by Sheraton brand is gaining the recognition it deserves as the number one player in the mid-priced segment.”

Business Travel News, an established trade publication, annually surveys more than 1,500 professional business travel decision-makers, representing Fortune 500 and other companies, for its prestigious hotel chain survey.

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 us at www.starwoodhotels.com.

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