Sheraton Opens Its Doors and Warmly Welcomes Travelers to Jacksonville, Florida

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The Newly Constructed Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel Offers Signature Brand Offerings and Area's First Shula's 347 Grill

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and Driftwood Hospitality announced today that Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel has opened its doors and is warmly welcoming guests. The newly constructed 159-room hotel offers guests Sheraton's signature amenities and services designed to provide a welcoming atmosphere and exceptional guest experience. The opening of the Sheraton Jacksonville is part of the most aggressive global expansion in the Sheraton's history -- with 54 hotels scheduled to open and 20,000 new rooms to be added to the brand by 2009.

Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel is located in southeast Jacksonville in the heart of Deerwood Park and just minutes away from popular Jacksonville attractions such as the Avenues Shopping Mall, the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, University of North Florida-UNF, and the new St. Johns Town Center Mall. Jacksonville's sunny beaches are also just a short drive away.

"We are proud to welcome the Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel to our brand's growing portfolio of more than 400 hotels around the world," said Hoyt Harper, Senior Vice President for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. "Sheraton anticipates the needs of travelers who crave familiarity and comfort by providing spacious accommodations, updated technology and signature amenities - all designed to make them feel at home from the moment they walk in the door."

Guests of Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel are invited to relax with fellow travelers in the hotel's energetic and interactive lobby space. There, they will find the Link@Sheraton(sm) experienced with Microsoft(R) communications hub, which delivers the technology services guests expect while on the road, allowing them to check their email, research local attractions and even print boarding passes. Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel also provides 856 square feet of meeting space in two meeting rooms as well as related services, including AV, catering and event planning.

"We are thrilled to become part of the Jacksonville community and bring the Sheraton experience to its visitors," said Ray Smith, General Manager. "Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel will become a destination in itself for our guests and a focal point of the Deerwood Park area."

Each of the property's 159 non-smoking guest rooms feature the signature Sheraton Sweet Sleeper(SM) Bed, a nine-layer custom-designed ensemble boasting an exquisitely comfortable, plush mattress, fluffy down hypoallergenic pillows, crisp cotton sheets, cozy blanket and signature blanket and duvet. Sheraton also gives its guests front-row seats to high-quality, in-room programming through its Scene@Sheraton entertainment offering, including sneak previews and premier sports programming viewed on wall-mounted flat screen HDTVs. Sheraton Club guestrooms will have access to Club Lounge benefits, such as continental breakfast served daily, afternoon hors d'oeuvres and beverages, upgraded bath amenities and work stations complete with copier, fax and printer capabilities.

Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel also offers guests a new state-of-the-art fitness center developed in partnership with Core Performance, an organization that trains elite athletes and Olympians and is dedicated to providing breakthrough solutions to help individuals achieve their maximum performance.

Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel will also feature the area's first Shula's 347 Grill, a casual venue in the tradition of Shula's Steak Houses, named in honor of famed Coach Don Shula. The restaurant, featuring flat screen TVs and sports memorabilia, will exclusively serve Certified Angus Beef(C) and the renowned SHULA CUTS as part of its gourmet menu. Three private dining rooms will also be available for business meetings or special occasions.

Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel is located at 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd. For more information and to make reservations, call 904-564-4772 or visit www.sheraton.com/jacksonville.

About Driftwood Hospitality Management LLC

Driftwood Hospitality Management LLC, based in North Palm Beach, Florida, is one of the fastest growing independent hospitality management and development firms in the country today. Established in January 1999 by David Buddemeyer, Driftwood or its affiliates owns and/or manages more than 40 hotels comprising approximately 8,833 rooms throughout the U.S., the Bahamas and Central America. The company manages a variety of lodging types, from destination resorts to downtown convention hotels to suburban hotels and inns. Many of the company's hotels are affiliated with nationally recognized hospitality franchises, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Doubletree, Radisson, Sheraton, Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Wyndham Garden and Hotel Indigo. For more information, see www.driftwoodhospitality.com.

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

Helping guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in 75 countries around the world, Sheraton is revitalizing its iconic brand while continuing its aggressive international expansion by adding 54 hotels and 20,000 guestrooms by 2009. Sheraton Hotels is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 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, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(SM), and Element(SM). 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.

SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

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