SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS�MARCH 23, 2009�Aimbridge Hospitality and joint venture partners including Champ Hospitality LP and JF Capital Advisors officially open its fourth Texas AloftSM hotel near San Antonio International Airport during a ribbon cutting ceremony held March 19. Aloft, the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Inc. lifestyle brand is bringing style and atmosphere to San Antonio visitors and residents by giving them a fun way to play and stay. The joint partnership has already opened Aloft hotels in Plano, Irving and Frisco, Texas. Aimbridge Hospitality will manage a fifth Aloft in Texas at the Houston Galleria, scheduled to open in July. The Aloft San Antonio Airport Park North is located at 838 NW Loop 410 (2.5 miles from the San Antonio International Airport) and is part of the 55-acre mixed-use Park North Plaza retail development project led by Austin-based HPI Real Estate Services & Investments. The 69,158 square-foot hotel will offer guests a total sensory experience, with 141 loft-like guestrooms featuring nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows creating a bright, airy environment.  .

From left starting at ribbon: Adam Patenaude, Aloft GM; Mark Granados, HPI; Amy Hamrick, Aloft DOSM; Joe Champ, Champ Hospitality LP; and Denise McGee-Brown, Ambassador Chair North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; prepare to cut the ribbon.

�Aloha! On behalf of Aimbridge Hospitality, welcome to the Aloft San Antonio Airport Park North,� General Manager Adam Patenaude said to more than 200 guests at the hotel�s ribbon cutting ceremony. �San Antonio truly is deep in the heart of Texas, and deep in the hearts of everyone who helped us to bring this exciting new Starwood brand to the community. Today we would like to thank our valued partners and those at the San Antonio Chamber and HPI Real Estate Services for making this momentous day possible. 

�San Antonio is a city rich in arts and culture, family fun, history and heritage, and outdoor adventure,� he said. �Today it also becomes home to a bold, stylish hotel that will deliver an eclectic and electric experience to travelers and area professionals. It�s a day to live life Aloft in San Antonio.�

Attractions located near the Aloft San Antonio Airport Park North include the Northstar Mall, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Zoo and Sunken Gardens, San Antonio Riverwalk, The Alamo and Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Sea World theme parks. The San Antonio Military Medical Center and U.S. Army�s Fort Sam Houston are 11 miles from the Aloft San Antonio Airport Park North.

Mark Granados, Managing Partner for the retail division of HPI Real Estate Services & Investments, said the Aloft hotel is the perfect complement to the city�s Park North Plaza project. 

�We are excited about the opening of the first Aloft in San Antonio at Park North Plaza,� Granados said. �Its opening starts the final leg of the mixed-use development project with the balance of construction set to wrap up July 26. The development of the hotel was a coordinated effort between both teams and required tackling a tight constrained development site in the middle of an operating property � hats off to the guys in the field that pulled it off.�

Joe Champ, President of Champ Hospitality LP, developer of the hotel, said: �For many years San Antonio has consistently been a favorite destination of tourists, convention participants, business travelers and international visitors. By bringing Aloft to San Antonio, we are bringing an exciting new fun lodging option to visitors and a new favorite local meeting place for residents. We look forward to welcoming our first guests.� 

Brent Rumsey, Starwood Hotels & Resorts director, new builds and transitions, franchise group, concurred with Champ, saying the new lifestyle brand is he perfect fit for the San Antonio market. �Aloft will bring energy to San Antonio by offering the opportunity to mix and mingle in a space that is stylish, fun and affordable. With its urban influenced design, accessible technology and social atmosphere, aloft San Antonio will provide a distinct and exhilarating experience targeted to style-conscious travelers.�

Denise McGee-Brown, Ambassador Chair for the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, presented Champ with a commemorative plaque to signify the official opening of the Aloft hotel. �Aloft brings a new hotel concept to San Antonio and is a breath of fresh air for this area of town,� McGee-Brown said. �We are thrilled that Aloft brought San Antonio a cutting-edge hotel which indeed appeals to all the five senses.�

The event concluded with hotel staff raising the flag to signify that the Aloft San Antonio Airport Park North is open for business. 

Reservation lines are now open by visiting www.aloftsanantonioairport.com or calling 1-877-GO-ALOFT.  Additional information and bookings may be made at www.starwoodhotels.com. Aloft hotels participate in the Starwood Preferred Guest® frequent-traveler program, which offers a variety of redemption opportunities including free nights with no blackout dates on standard rooms, exclusive member benefits and flexible reward options.

About Aloft
Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, Aloft is a new destination sensation featuring loft-inspired design, accessible technology and a stylish urban attitude. Aloft opened its first hotels in 2008 and expects to open 500 properties worldwide in the next five years. For more information on Aloft, please visit www.alofthotels.com. Visit www.Alofthotels.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.  Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced AloftSM and ElementSM Hotels.  Starwood Hotels also own Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About Aimbridge Hospitality
Aimbridge Hospitality is a hotel real estate and management company created to identify investment opportunities throughout the United States. Aimbridge provides management, asset management, capital renovation, supervision, accounting and consulting services for its strategic partners. Aimbridge currently operates hotel properties in the Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Sheraton, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham brands. Aimbridge also manages a number of independent hotels, including the Phoenix Inn & Suites brand of hotels and has several projects under development in the Starwood, Marriott and Hilton enterprises. For more information on Aimbridge Hospitality, please visit the company�s Web site at www.aimbridgehospitality.com.

About JF Capital
JF Capital Advisors, headquartered in New York City, is a hospitality investment and advisory firm. Prior to founding JF Capital Advisors, Jonathan Falik was a Vice President in the Real Estate Investment Banking division of Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. Together with Joe Weinberger, the principals of JF Capital Advisors have completed over $10 billion of mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions in the hospitality sector. For more information on JF Capital Advisors, please visit the company�s Web site at www.jfcap.com.

About Champ Hospitality
Champ Hospitality LP is a full service hospitality development company. Champ develops hotels domestically and internationally for its own portfolio as well as provides a broad range of consulting services for third parties, including: Feasibility analysis, site acquisition, project management, brand selection, management and franchise contracts, asset management and disposition strategies. For information call (214) 432-9559 or visit www.champhospitality.com.

 Barb Worcester
President/Principal
PRPro
Tel: (440) 930-5770
[email protected]