Membership in Preferred is restricted to independently owned, full-service luxury hotels, resorts and spas. Preferred considers top-caliber properties for membership that meet and exceed the high operational levels required by Preferred�s Standards of ExcellenceTM, an award-winning, proprietary quality assurance audit that annually measures and monitors 1,600 aspects of a property�s service delivery and facilities.

Prospective Preferred member hotels are evaluated on such elements as geographic location, building architecture and design, grounds and landscaping, interior design, guest rooms and common areas, bathroom features, staffing levels, food and beverage facilities, room service, engineering and safety, health and fitness facilities, business services, and conference/meeting facilities.

�Preferred�s mission is to stand apart from the large hotel chains and to preserve and promote the world�s unique independently owned and operated luxury hotels and resorts.  With the addition of these four distinctive hotels to our membership, travelers in these key city and resort destinations can be assured of travel experiences that are not only superior in quality and service, but that are refreshingly unique as well,� said Rob Cornell, Managing Director of Preferred Hotel & Resorts Worldwide.

The newest Preferred member hotels are: 

Sandy Lane, St. James, Barbados 
Owner: Sandy Lane Hotel Co, Ltd.; Manager: Sandy Lane Management Team

Originally built in 1961 on the site of an old sugar plantation, Sandy Lane has been considered a premier address in the Caribbean for decades. After a complete renovation in 2001, the hotel and its new Spa are more magnificent than ever. 
Averaging 900 square feet (84 square meters), many of the 112 luxury rooms at Sandy Lane feature a private verandah showcasing the Palladian-style building of cream coral stone shimmering in the sunlight and the sapphire waters of the
Caribbean Sea.  (Room rates range from US$600-$6,500 and include breakfast and VAT.)  Sandy Lane boasts one of Barbados� most spectacular pure-white beaches (1,000 feet/305 meters) as well as a 7,500-square-foot (697-square-meter) freeform
swimming pool.  For sport, Sandy Lane features three golf courses, including the �Old Nine,� and the Tom Fazio-designed �Country Club� and �Green Monkey� courses. The Green Monkey Course, opening in December 2002, is named for a breed of monkey that is native to Barbados-many of them can be seen while teeing off on the greens! French international cuisine and fine wines are available for enjoyment at L�Acajou, Sandy Lane�s signature restaurant, while casual, beach and spa fare, as well as afternoon tea and cocktails are available at the resort�s many other dining venues. The Spa at Sandy Lane is a 47,000-square-foot (4,366-square-meter) facility that blends traditional cultural therapies from the Caribbean, the Far East and Europe and features a spa café, a full service John Frieda Salon, 11 personalized VIP suites, a Chakra treatment room, crystal
laconium, steam room, ice cave and 5,000 square feet (465 square meters) of fitness facilities. 

Celebration Hotel, Orlando/Celebration, Florida
Owner and Management: Grand Theme Hotels; General Manager: Mark Ladd 

Celebration Hotel is the only upscale boutique hotel closest to Walt Disney World theme parks and is located in the Disney-planned community of Celebration, Florida. Combining the simplicity and innocence of turn-of-the-century Florida with the comfort of luxurious amenities, Celebration Hotel provides the perfect setting for corporate retreats, meetings and other special functions. Conference amenities include more than 5,000 square feet (465 square meters) of event space with high-speed Internet access, Disney audio-visual services and access to Disney characters for any special entertainment needs.  The menu in The Plantation restaurant features �New Florida Cuisine,� which integrates traditional cooking styles with the finest ingredients and Southern accents. The Celebration Golf Club, designed by the renowned father-son team of Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., is one of the eight nearby golf courses available to guests. >From the hotel, guests are transported to the golf course in the hotel�s 1947 Cadillac Limousine. The 60,000-square-foot (5,574-square-meter) Celebration Health Fitness Centre and Day Spa has activities for the whole family to enjoy. Transportation is provided by Celebration Hotel to the Disney theme parks and around the quaint town of Celebration, where options abound for shopping, dining and other special events and activities. Currently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are holding their training camp in the hotel for the upcoming NFL Football season. 

The Hermitage Hotel (Nashville, Tennessee) 
Owner and Management: Historic Hotels of Nashville, LLC;  General Manager: Greg Sligh 

Rich in prestige and history, and named after Andrew Jackson�s Hermitage estate, The Hermitage Hotel, built in 1910,  was Nashville�s first million-dollar (U.S.) hotel. From the early 20th century through the '30s and '40s, "Meet me at The Hermitage" could have been deemed the city's slogan. In addition to attracting the city�s socialites, the hotel served as the gathering place for both pro- and anti-suffrage forces and was the debate site for the ratification of the 19th Amendment.  In addition, the hotel was once home to the infamous pool shark Minnesota Fats.  Located within walking distance of the Nashville Convention Center, The State Capitol, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, the Ryman Auditorium and Printer�s Alley, The Hermitage Hotel and its environs offer guests an array of activities. With 6,582 square feet (611 square meters) of meeting
space distributed throughout intimate conference suites and the Grand Ballroom, every function is assured of superior ambience and amenities. In addition, professional conference planners direct every aspect of each event, providing high
levels of service and attention to detail.  Currently, the hotel is closed for an extensive U.S. $15- million- dollar renovation and will re-open on February 14, 2003 (Valentines Day) with the goal of becoming Tennessee�s first AAA, Five Diamond and Mobile Five-Star hotel. 

Washington Terrace Hotel (Washington, D.C.) 
Owner: AGL Investments No. 3; Management: Interstate Hotel Corporation; General Manager: Peter Carroll

The newly opened Washington Terrace Hotel features 220 spacious guestrooms and suites decorated in a �naturally comfortable� palate with accent walls of blueberry, nectar, sienna and aubergine. Bathed in natural light, the hotel provides essential business amenities such as personal workstations with data ports, ergonomic chairs, cordless phones and in-room safes spacious enough to accommodate laptops.  High-speed Internet access is available in selected guest rooms and suites. The meeting facilities feature 6,700 square feet (622 square meters) of contemporary space designed to accommodate today�s technology needs.  With the plentiful terrace space and picturesque garden as backdrops, social functions and events promise to be unforgettable for attendees. At the �15 ria� restaurant guests can enjoy a fresh and honest American menu prepared by New York chef Jamie Leeds, or a �Tiny Tini� in the stylish bar/lounge which also features bourbons, first rate microbrews and handcrafted wines from new world producers.  Located near the quiet neighborhood of DuPont Circle, the hotel is near such attractions as The White House, Smithsonian Institution and the historic Embassy Row. 

Founded in 1968, Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is a global brand of 120 of the world�s finest independently owned and operated luxury hotels and resorts. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has sales offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, Sao Paolo, Boston, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney.  Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is a wholly owned subsidiary of IndeCorp Corporation, an organization dedicated to providing independent hotel brands with the resources needed to compete effectively with global hotel chains and preserve the diversity and distinctiveness of the world�s independent hotels.