From the Arizona desert to the heart of Times Square, these properties will be managed by Starwood and illustrates the company's strategy of securing contracts in major global gateway and leisure markets.

The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, formerly a Marriott property, was recently reflagged under the Westin brand in September. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, is in the heart of the Forrestal Village shopping district, near numerous area corporations and minutes from Princeton University. The hotel is situated in an ideal location in central New Jersey, midway between Philadelphia and New York. The hotel's 19 meeting rooms and 15,550 square feet of meeting space offer a variety of flexible function alternatives. Its 294 guestrooms feature numerous Westin innovations including the highly acclaimed Heavenly Bed(R), Heavenly Bath(sm), Service Express(R) and The Westin Kids Club(R). The Westin Princeton provides complimentary parking, 24-hour in-room dining and a full business center. The hotel features an indoor/outdoor pool, a health club, sauna and tennis courts.

The 500-room Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa opened earlier this month, situated just south of Phoenix on the Gila River Indian Community. The resort, designed to be an authentic representation of the Gila River Indian heritage and culture, offers guests a recreational, educational and inspirational experience never before available in a resort setting. The resort complex is located in the high Sonoran Desert on an expanse of rugged Arizona landscape where the ancient vistas, mountains and roaming wild horses remain untouched. The property features two 18-hole championship golf courses. With over 100,000-square feet of function space, indoors and out, the resort accommodates a variety of meeting, exhibit and event requirements for groups ranging in size from 10 to 2000 attendees. Amenities include a 17,500-square foot spa with 17 treatment rooms, fitness center, tennis courts, jogging trails and the 1,000-acre Koli Equestrian Center. Four pools and a waterslide enhance the recreational facilities set amid waterfalls and bridges overlooking the river with majestic mountain views.

The Westin New York at Times Square opened in mid-October becoming Westin's second property in New York City and Starwood's 11th property in Manhattan. Located in the heart of the theater district, the hotel features a 45-story glass prismatic tower designed by internationally renowned Miami-based design firm Arquitectonica. A symbolic fusion of earth and sky, the hotel showcases a beam of light that begins in the nine-story interior atrium before breaking through to the copper, blue, and silver glass facade. The beam of light gives the illusion that it splits the tower as it arches to the top and beyond. The Westin New York at Times Square boasts 863 luxurious guest rooms, including 124 Westin Executive Club(R) rooms and suites that offers all of Westin's superior business services and amenities including wireless Internet access throughout the hotel. The hotel is home to former Miami Dolphins' Coach Don Shula's award-winning steakhouse, which will be the first Shula's Steakhouse to open in New York City.

In Asia-Pacific, The Westin Shanghai, made its debut this month in China's most vibrant business and financial city. The hotel is part of the integrated mixed-use Bund Center project in Shanghai, which is a symbol of Shanghai as the business and financial center of China, as well as the renewed glory of the Bund district in the new millennium. The Bund Center consists of a 50-story office tower and large retail space. The Westin Shanghai features 302 rooms while The Westin Residences within the complex contains 145 serviced apartments.

The Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, on the lush tropical island of Bora Bora in the South Pacific, joined The Luxury Collection on October 1. Bora Bora - known as "Tahiti's Romantic Island" - is one of 118 Tahitian islands and atolls that comprise the area officially known as French Polynesia. The resort consists of 120 all-suite luxury bungalows - each with ocean views - located on 16 acres of lush, terraced hillside and on the water of a private, protected cove. Other features include a 30,000 square-foot hilltop Mandara Spa (offering an extensive menu of spa treatments and services), infinity swimming pool, an overwater check-in area (set on a natural aquarium) and a white sand beach nearly a half-mile long.

Located just northeast of Phoenix, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa will open its doors on November 3. The design of the resort is based on a theme - the "essence" of Arizona. In keeping with the essence of Arizona theme, the resort pays tribute to the people, landscape and events that shaped the state's cultural heritage. This urban resort is Westin's first branded full-scale destination resort in the area and will feature a 750-room hotel including 63 suites, 32 casita units, 160,000-square feet of indoor and outdoor function space; eight food and beverage outlets, a full service spa and fitness center and a sophisticated water park. The property will also feature the 27-hole Kierland Golf Club. In addition, the company will begin construction of its fourth Westin brand interval ownership resort in the fourth quarter featuring 158 villas adjacent to the resort.

The 412-room Sheraton Overland Park Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas makes its debut on December 1. The hotel promises to be one of the preeminent meeting venues in the area as it will be seamlessly attached to the new 240,000-square foot Overland Park Convention Center, scheduled to open in mid-November. The hotel and convention center have been designed to complement each other architecturally and will connect via an enclosed walkway. Both the hotel and convention center combined will offer more than 150,000-square feet of versatile meeting space. Appealing to both the meeting planner and convention attendee, the hotel and convention center can accommodate groups of any size from 10 to 4,000.

On the West Coast, the 261-room W San Diego is scheduled to open in December and will be located in the heart of the city's new residential loft district just south of Little Italy with easy access to the San Diego Convention Center, the Gaslamp District and shopping at Horton Plaza. The hotel will be the W brand's 17th property and the fourth in California. The nightlife in San Diego will never be the same with the opening of the hotel's stylish nightspots - W Living Room Bar and its rooftop bar called "Beach", which will take Cabana culture to a new level. Beach will feature a "sand bar" complete with a heated sand floor, fire pit, private tented Cabanas and nightly outdoor movie screenings. The hotel will offer a selection of dining venues, including Rice, which will serve Pacific "new wave" cuisine.

Located adjacent to the new Edward H. McNamara Terminal/Northwest WorldGateway, The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel, will be a first-class, luxury airport hotel that features 25,000-square feet of meeting space, a 7,600 ballroom, business center, fitness center, heated indoor pool with whirlpool, restaurant and bar, and an eight-story atrium with a 5,000-square foot reflecting pool with 55' bamboo trees and a jet ramp observation lounge. The $85.1 million, 404-room hotel is scheduled to open this December.

The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas located in Rancho Mirage, California, is the first purpose-built timeshare under the Westin flag and is part of Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO). The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas will open the first phase of its 158 luxury two-bedroom villas in the fourth quarter. Located adjacent to The Westin Mission Hills Resort, the resort offers fully furnished two bedroom villas with full kitchens, a living room, dining room and two bathrooms. Perfect for families of couples traveling together, the resort also gives its guest full access to all the amenities including golf and spa services.

The Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort is scheduled to open in the exclusive resort area of Krabi, Thailand on December 16. The Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort is located on a secluded 19-acre site of Khlong Muang Beach and features a pristine white sand beach frontage. The resort will offer 246 rooms including 30 club floor rooms and six executive suites. The resort will also feature five dining outlets, health club, spa, tennis and squash courts, water sports, retail center and game room.

Charlotte, North Carolina, one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and a major financial/banking center, will be home to The Westin Charlotte, located in the city's Uptown business and entertainment district, adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center and only eight miles from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Opening in January 2003, the 700-room hotel will feature a historic trolley stop with access to the rest of the city and 44,000-square feet of meeting facilities earning the distinction as the city's official convention center hotel.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.