Starwood Preferred Guest Launches New Twitter, Facebook and iPhone Applications

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) today announces the launch of a new suite of
Twitter, Facebook and iPhone applications, which can be accessed at
www.spg.com/stayconnected. The move comes as part of the SPG program`s overall
commitment to providing insider access for its loyal guests by tapping into the
power of social media. 

SPG is the first hotel loyalty program to establish a presence in these leading
social media and mobile networks. And the SPG program sees social media as a key
platform for further engaging an influential and rapidly growing segment of its
members. 

According to research, SPG members are highly active social media participants
with 50 percent indicating frequent involvement - and those particular members
book and stay more frequently. In fact, SPG members engaged in social networks
are nearly 20 percent more likely to book a Starwood hotel than other SPG
members. And SPG members who create blogs are nearly 80 percent more likely to
book. 

"We want to be everywhere our guests are, and our savvy members are spending
more and more of their time engaged in sites like Twitter and Facebook and on
mobile devices like the iPhone," said Chris Holdren, Senior Vice President of
Web Services and Starwood Preferred Guest. "By launching these new applications,
we are able to foster positive relationships with our most valued customers and
add meaningful benefits to their travel experiences, both online and offline." 

SPG Develops Industry`s First Travel Tips Mash-Up, Powered by Twitter and Google
Maps

In June, SPG became the first hotel loyalty program to engage guests though its
Twitter account @spginsider. Now, SPG is breaking new ground with SPG Insider,
the industry`s first travel tips mash-up. By "mashing up" the functionalities of
Twitter and Google Maps, SPG Insider enables travelers to post insider tips - or
"tweets" - on restaurants, bars and entertainment options around the world from
their mobile Twitter application of choice.SPG Insider then instantly uploads
the tip and places it on the map using the longitude and latitude coordinates of
the device from which it was sent. Other travelers can then search the map on
www.spg.com/insider for ideas on places to go near their destination. 

While the growth of SPG Insider will be largely dependent upon consumer
submissions, concierges at Starwood`s hotels around the world will play a
pivotal role in the evolution of the application. They have already loaded
reviews of some of their favorite local hot spots contributing to nearly 2000
points of interest to date, and will continually update the site with their
insider recommendations. 

With New SPG TripShare, Facebook Friends Can Post, Search and View Trip Photos

SPG is building on its existing presence on Facebook with the new photo
application - SPG TripShare which was developed in conjunction with Buddy Media.
Created to give travelers the ability to post, search and view photos of their
recent trips, SPG TripShare enhances Facebook`s standard photo albums by
providing additional customization and search features. 

To use SPG TripShare, Facebook members simply choose their five favorite
vacation photos, tag them with descriptions of their choice and submit them to
be posted at www.spg.com/tripshare. Friends, family and other travel fans can
then search the photo albums by member name or by using descriptive terms like
"resort" or "skiing." 

"We know that travel is all about creating memories, and photos are a key way we
capture and share them," said Holdren. "With SPG TripShare, we will provide a
forum for our loyal SPG members, as well as those who are not, to share their
memories and search for new trip ideas and inspiration." 

"SPG TripShare is an outstanding example of how premier consumer brands are
tapping the social web to deepen their engagement with existing customers and
reaching new customers in a viral, word-of-mouth fashion, which is one of the
most effective forms of marketing" said Mike Lazerow, CEO of Buddy Media. "We
look forward to helping SPG track and analyze SPG TripShare`s impact on customer
growth, brand awareness and brand affinity." 

With a Touch of the Finger, SPG Members can Tap into the Power of the Starwood
Network

To provide members on the go with one touch access to their accounts, SPG has
rolled out a mobile application for Apple`s popular iPhone. The new app allows
SPG members to easily access travel information on the road, right from their
iPhone or iPod touch. Using the app, members can jump onto their SPG account to
view their Starpoints balance, find details about their upcoming hotel stays and
get door-to-door directions to their hotel - all free of charge. The SPG iPhone
app can be accessed on iTunes at www.spg.com/iPhoneApp. 

About Starwood Preferred Guest

The SPG program`s breakthrough policy of No Blackout Dates at the world`s most
sought after collection of hotels, reinvented the hospitality loyalty program
when it launched in 1999. By creating a program centered on its members, SPG has
developed the most passionate and knowledgeable membership base in the hotel
loyalty space. Through its use of new technologies and innovative channels such
as SPG.com, SPG.com/flights, thelobby.com and others, SPG continues to innovate
and lead the industry. By offering No Blackouts on standard rooms at 940
properties, No Blackouts on hundreds of airlines, and once in a lifetime
experiences available through SPG Moments, the program has proven to be a big
draw for the world`s most frequent travelers, and a significant competitive
advantage for Starwood. For more information about Starwood Preferred Guest
please visit SPG.com or call (877) - STARWOOD. 

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and
leisure companies in the world with 960 properties in 97 countries and 145,000
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, The Luxury Collection,
W, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, and the recently
launched Aloft, and ElementSM. 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.