White Plains, NY – April 20, 2009 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) made history when it opened its first Element hotel in 2008 in Lexington, Massachusetts.  Starwood’s green trailblazer, Element is the first major hotel brand to mandate all its hotels pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.  The category-revolutionizing hotel brand boasts a variety of green features designed to be as aesthetically appealing as they are eco-friendly.  

“We are happy to report that building green from the ground up is truly affordable and are estimating  we will recoup our investment in energy savings, water conservation and waste reduction in just three to five years,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.  “Our eco-friendly, intuitive approach to allowing guests to be green on the road has resonated really well with travelers who are looking for smart, urban living whether they are traveling for business or pleasure.”

Smart from the start and green from the ground-up, Element hotels comply with the mandates of high-performance green buildings.  Guest rooms feature carpets with up to 100 percent recycled content, wall art is mounted on bases made from recycled tires and low VOC paints improve indoor air quality.  Element conserves water and energy with low-flow faucets and fixtures, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and energy-efficient appliances.  Guests can continue daily routines such as recycling papers and plastics, as well as using green materials, while those driving hybrid cars will be rewarded with priority parking.   Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with an environmentally-friendly magnet.  

The brand’s first hotel, Element Lexington, earned LEED Gold certification in December of 2008 in recognition of its superior performance in areas including water and energy conservation and improved indoor environmental quality measures.  Element Houston Vintage Park is expected to achieve LEED certification this spring and Element Las Vegas Summerlin is pursuing LEED certification within the year.  Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is an internationally recognized, third-party certification for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 960 properties in 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels 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, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element ^SM.  Starwood Hotels also owns 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.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Brad Minor, 914-640-3687
[email protected]