WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Nov 17, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE)—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., (NYSE:HOT), welcomes its first Westin hotel to Sin City - The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas. The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas is conveniently located on Flamingo Road, just steps away from the heart of the famous Las Vegas Strip and within walking distance to all the attractions the city has to offer. The new Westin property stands where the former Maxim hotel stood. The property and casino are owned and operated by Columbia Sussex, which operates more than 50 full-service properties in the U.S. and overseas.

A massive $75 million renovation and upgrade over the past year has transformed the hotel into a contemporary architectural and design-conscious property that complements the Westin brand and its design sensibility. The completely refurbished 17-story, 825-room property reflects Westin brand standards in the lobby, guestrooms, meeting space and public areas. A 200-seat showroom will showcase entertainer David Brenner for a 44-week engagement.

“The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas is a unique and valuable addition to this city,” said Sue Brush, senior vice president, Westin Hotels & Resorts, North America. “We have created an understated but luxurious residential environment that is appealing to those looking for something different in Las Vegas. In a city of mega hotels and overwhelming casinos, The Westin Casuarina is a refreshing change of pace. It retains a more intimate and upscale feel in the casino, lounge and other public spaces that allows guests to experience Las Vegas in a new way.”

The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas and The Casuarina Casino are conveniently located one mile from the Las Vegas Convention Center, Sands Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Convention Center and only 1.5 miles from McCarran Airport.

The hotel offers 825 guestrooms, including four two-bedroom suites and six one-bedroom suites. Each room offers modern luxury with crisp white bedding, dark woods, an earthtone palette of colors and the signature all-white Westin Heavenly Bed(R), as well as local architectural and botanical photography. Every guestroom is also equipped with the Westin Heavenly Bath(R), which includes a dual showerhead, curved shower curtain rod, oversized bath towels, and deluxe spa amenities. Room rates start at $139/weekday, $189/weekend, $499/one-bedroom suite, $699/two-bedroom suite.

The hotel features five contiguous meeting rooms with 15,000 square feet of meeting space including a 3,600 square-foot ballroom and two private boardrooms. Dark wood paneling, linen fabrics and specialty veneers give the rooms a sophisticated and modern feel. Starwood Turbo Net high-speed Internet access is available in all meeting rooms.

The 200-seat Silver Peak Grill Restaurant is open 24 hours a day featuring an a la carte menu and buffet menu with an emphasis on Californian cuisine. A private dining area can be utilized for private parties and functions, and room service is available to every guest around the clock.

The Casuarina Casino is modeled after the upscale and luxurious environment of European casinos, with an intimate design atypical of most Las Vegas casinos. The Casino Lounge is an oasis amidst the action from where it sits on a raised platform, serving as an entrance to the casino from the reception area. A translucent screen gives lounge visitors a haven where they can enjoy the full bar and oversized seating while looking out on the casino floor action. The 20,000 square-foot casino features 350 slot machines and ten table games.

Guest services include Westin`s Service Express(R), a program that revolutionizes the way guest services are provided. Through Service Express, guests dial only one number on their in-room telephone to make all service requests. This “one call does it all” concept improves the timeliness and quality of services provided to guests.

Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 120 hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and was voted the number one upper-upscale hotel brand for three years in Business Travel News` “Annual U.S. Hotel Chain Survey.” Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 properties in more than 80 countries and 105,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and W Hotels, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts.

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