NEW YORK– September 18, 2012 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces that Edward Maynard has been appointed General Manager of the new Westin New York Grand Central, which will officially fly the Westin flag next month following a $65 million renovation.

The brand’s second Manhattan hotel features a complete redesign of the former New York Helmsley Hotel, including 774 spacious guest rooms equipped with Westin’s signature amenities and more than 12,000 square feet of expanded meeting space with the latest technology.

“I am excited to continue my New York hospitality experience in the Starwood family and oversee the transformation of this iconic property into a new Westin flagship hotel,” said Maynard.  “I am looking forward to furthering the brand’s reputation of helping guests leave feeling better than when they arrived.”

Maynard brings nearly three decades of experience in hotel management to his new position.  He has held several general manager positions at notable hotels in New York, including sister Starwood hotels the W New York Union Square and the W New York, where he served most recently.

From 2003-2006, Maynard worked with iconic hotelier Ian Schrager on the development and conversion of the Gramercy Park Hotel.  During the hotel’s renovation, he assumed the role of general manager at the Royalton Hotel, part of the Morgans Hotel Group.  Prior to his positions with Morgans Hotel Group and Ian Schrager Hotels, Maynard held multiple hotel management roles, including vice president of operations for Baymont Inns and Suites and corporate director of operations and development for Princess Hotels International.

For more information on the Westin New York Grand Central, please visit the hotel’s Facebook page.

For more information on Westin Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.westin.com, Facebook or follow Westin on Twitter.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts offers innovative programs that transform every aspect of a stay into a revitalizing experience. All Westin signature services – like the Heavenly Bed, delicious SuperFoods and WestinWORKOUT studio – have been designed with the guests’ well-being in mind. Westin hotels, with more than 190 hotels and resorts in nearly 40 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,112 properties in nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood 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, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.westin.com

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)