Starwood Hotels Spreads Holiday Cheer This Season With Special "Family Fun" Vacation Packages Offered at 30 Starwood Love Your Family Resorts

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Published: November 20th, 2008

Includes $100 Daily Resort Credit, Kids Eat Free, Plus Family Holiday Travel Tips from Starwood's Director of Fun

White Plains, N.Y., (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts wants to give families an early gift this holiday season. Available now through December 31, 2008 experience a "Family Fun" vacation package at one of Starwood's 30 Love Your Family Resort locations flying the Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brand flags across North America. Packed with exclusive discounts and amenities, savvy travelers can enjoy daily resort credits up to $100; "Kids Eat Free;" guaranteed connecting rooms and signature family activities at Starwood Resorts across the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Perfect for family holiday travel, Starwood's Love Your Family program takes the traditional children's program one step further, using customer research, guest feedback and good old common sense to develop creative programming that caters to the entire family. Launched earlier this year, Love Your Family was developed to help families maximize their time together and also create cherished memories to last a life time. Whether it's iguana feeding in Aruba, margarita-making in Mexico (for mom and dad!) or learning to "Hula" in Hawaii, Starwood's Love Your Family offers unique experiences for every age, every interest. The core elements of Love Your Family include three signature experiences--Fireside Storytelling, Stargazing, and movies by the pool -- as well as other features that will be indigenous to each respective property. Families can also enjoy an outdoor barbecue and make new friends at one of the community grills at select Love Your Family Resorts. Additionally, Love Your Family includes services designed to appeal especially to parents, including connecting rooms, food and beverage discounts, and other unique packages and offers, all coordinated by the resort's newly appointed "Director of Fun."

Starwood's "Family Fun" package includes:

• $100 daily resort credit, to be used for dining, spa, golf, or Kids Club
• Guaranteed connecting rooms with 7-day advance purchase
• Kids 5 and younger dine free at select restaurants; children 6-12 enjoy 50 percent off the regular menu with child-size portions
• Souvenir refillable kids cup, good for unlimited milk, juice and soda
• Welcome gift for kids 12 and younger
• Complimentary crib or rollaway upon request
• Holiday shopping discount booklet at select "Love Your Family" Resorts

For a complete list of participating resorts and reservations, dial 1-888-625-5144 or visit the Love Your Family Web site: www.FamilyFunSpecials.com.

Family Holiday Travel Tips from Starwood's National Director of Fun

Everyone knows that family holiday travel can take its toll on everyone. Valerie Lee, Corporate Director of Fun for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, has a few easy suggestions for making holiday travel memorable, and most of all, fun:

• Relax! -- First, make a commitment to put away the laptops and the cell phones. When you look back on your vacation, the first thing people will ask you is "Did you have fun?" You want to say "Yes!" followed with examples of all of the neat things you did with your family. Each person in the family may have different ideas of what he or she finds relaxing, so be sure to carve out time for each of you. If you go to a theme park or on a tour, plan downtime at the pool or for napping. You don't want to come back wanting a vacation from your vacation!
• Create New Traditions -- If there is a destination you love, make a tradition that you and your families meet there every year. You may also meet other families, creating life-long bonds. While on vacation, you can create a tradition of collecting keepsakes, such as Christmas ornaments. One family I know sends themselves a postcard on vacation, so it's there when they get home, reminding them of the great time they had!
• Time Travel -- Typically, the week before Christmas tends to have more availability than the week between Christmas and New Year's, thus, pricing may be less. Also, look for destinations that are not yet in "peak season," which may be more affordable.
• Try New Things -- When in Rome, as they say! If you're in Arizona, try the rattlesnake appetizer, listen to a Native American storyteller, take a desert Jeep tour or learn to lasso! In Hawaii? Learn about the beautiful Polynesian culture, blow in a conch shell and learn about marine life. Ask the hotel Concierge or local visitor center for suggestions of wild, wacky or intriguing things for you to try.
• For Little Ones -- Call in advance to see what amenities and services the resort offers. Cribs, night lights, pack n' plays, games, videos? Travel a little lighter! Encourage older kids to pack and carry their own totes, so they feel even more grown-up!
• Once You're Home -- Do you have a camera with hundreds of pictures still on the memory stick? After you're back home and your suitcases are unpacked, plan a date in a week to have a family scrapbooking night. Include items from your trip such as your plane ticket, a map, a napkin from your favorite restaurant or a native leaf or flower.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com/pressclub.

SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts