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 Highland Hospitality Acquiring the 444-room Ritz-Carlton
Atlanta Downtown for $79.5 million ($179,000 per key)
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MCLEAN, VA, September 18, 2006 - Highland Hospitality Corporation (NYSE:HIH), a lodging real estate investment trust, or REIT, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the 444-room Ritz-Carlton Atlanta Downtown hotel located in Atlanta, Georgia for a purchase price of $79.5 million, plus customary closing costs, or approximately $179,000 per key.  The Company expects to close this transaction within the next three weeks and will enter into a long-term management contract with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C. to continue to operate the hotel under the Ritz-Carlton flag. 

James L. Francis, Highland�s President and CEO, stated, �We are excited about our planned acquisition of the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta Downtown hotel, which represents an opportunistic purchase of an urban Ritz-Carlton for a total investment of under $200,000 per key, which includes anticipated guest room upgrades.  We believe that recently announced downtown office relocations and the addition of world-class attractions to downtown will continue to improve the future demand outlook for this area and provide growth opportunities for the hotel going forward.�

The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta Downtown hotel, located at 181 Peachtree Street, is a full-service hotel with 444 guestrooms, including 22 suites and two Club Level floors.  The property is the only AAA 5-Diamond rated hotel in downtown Atlanta and only one of three AAA 5-Diamond rated hotels in Atlanta. The hotel includes a 25-story guestroom tower, the AAA 4-Diamond Atlanta Grill restaurant and lounge, a gift shop, fitness area and attached parking garage. Ballroom and meeting room spaces total approximately 19,000 square feet, including a 6,500 square foot grand ballroom.

The hotel is situated at the corner of Peachtree and Ellis Streets and is physically connected to the 1.2 million square foot 50-story office building known as 191 Peachtree.  The property is located directly across the street from the Peachtree Plaza MARTA underground rail station, providing for direct access to Hartsfield International Airport and other points throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Highland Hospitality Corporation is a self-advised lodging real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on hotel investments in the United States. The Company owns 25 hotel properties with an aggregate of 7,795 rooms in 13 states and the District of Columbia.  Additional information can be found on the Company�s website at www.highlandhospitality.com.

Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon �forward-looking� information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties.  When we use the words �will likely result,� may,� �anticipate,� �estimate,� �should,� �expect,� �believe,� �intend,� or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of the transaction on our business and future financial condition, our business and investment strategy, our understanding of our competition and current market trends and opportunities and projected capital expenditures.  Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Highland Hospitality Corporation�s control.  The company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect any future events or circumstances, except as required by law.

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Contact:

Highland Hospitality Corporation
www.highlandhospitality.com

Also See: Highland Hospitality Corporation Acquiring the 240-room Melrose Hotel, Washington, D.C. for $76 million, Approximately $316,700 per Key / March 2006

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