Hotels joining Westin include: the Hotel Palace in Milan, the Hotel Excelsior in Rome, the Hotel Excelsior in Florence, the Hotel Europa & Regina in Venice, the Hotel Excelsior in Venice Lido, the Hotel Palace in Madrid, the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, the Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian and the Hotel Bristol in Vienna.
 

�With these legendary hotels we are significantly expanding Westin in Europe, allowing us to grow on the continent with one of the strongest worldwide upscale/luxury brands in the industry. Westin�s pre-eminent brand leadership coupled with the power of its global distribution systems will enhance these hotels� commercial potential, while at the same time maintaining their reputation for the very best in luxurious facilities and unrivalled customer service,� said Robert F. Cotter, Chief Operating Officer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (parent company of Westin).  �These hotels are an integral part of the history and culture of the destinations in which they are located and over the past few years we have spent well over $100 million restoring these historic hotels to their original grandeur,� added Starwood Europe President Roeland Vos.  �Starwood has created an environment in these hotels that significantly exceeds the expectations of the most demanding international clientele, and now it�s time to add in the global power and reach of the Westin brand. Each of these hotels is the market leader in the upscale category in its own right, with world class standards in terms of product facilities, amenities and guest services.�

The Westin Excelsior, Florence  Excelsior origins date back to the 13th century and the works of the Umiliati order of Monks, the land and buildings later became the palatial homes of a number of the great families of Florence and were probably first used as hotels in the mid nineteenth century, becoming one hotel under the ownership of the Swiss Hotelier Gerardo Kraft in 1912. The hotel has recently undergone an extensive restoration programme with special attention paid to retaining 19th century features of the building and the use of the raw materials and traditional arts of Tuscany.

These properties join existing European Westin hotels including: the luxurious Trianon Palace, A Westin Hotel in Versailles, France; the world famous Turnberry Hotel, Golf Courses & Spa, A Westin Resort in Scotland; The Westin Grand in Berlin; The Westin Bellevue in Dresden, Germany; and The Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta. 

�By growing Westin�s current European collection with these nine luxury hotels, loyal Westin customers from all over the world will find the preferred choice for lodging in each of these important leisure and business destinations,� remarked Cotter.

Westin continues to expand in Europe, with the June 2000 opening of The Westin Rotterdam, The Netherlands, the Sept. 2000 opening of The Westin La Quinta Golf Resort in Marbella, Spain, and the April 2001 opening of The Westin Dublin, Ireland. With these new additions, Westin�s European coverage will more than triple in locations this year - making it the fastest growing upscale brand on the continent. Target markets for continued Westin growth include: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Budapest, Hamburg, Istanbul, Prague, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Munich and Jerusalem.