WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Apr 13, 2011 -- The city striving to become the world's greenest metropolis by 2020 is getting a hotel to match.

Greater Vancouver will become the site of Canada's first Element, the trailblazer in eco-conscious hospitality from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT). Set to welcome guests in 2014, Element Vancouver Metrotown is owned by Bosa Properties and will be managed by Atlific Hotels.

Element hotels are green by design and inspiring by nature. Element hotels ' energizing, eco-chic environment offers bright public spaces, smart design, and modern touches. Every Element property is also a high-performance building where sustainable practices reduce waste and conserve resources. When it launched in 2008, Element made history by becoming the first major hotel brand to mandate that all its properties pursue LEED certification. There are now nine Element hotels across North America.

Element Vancouver Metrotown will situate guests in Burnaby, B.C. the center of metro Vancouver. Restaurants, schools, parks, a Skytrain Rapid Transit station, and shopping are all steps away - including Metropolis at Metrotown, British Columbia's largest shopping centre. Guests will enjoy picturesque views of Whistler, the North Shore Mountains and downtown Vancouver from the hotel. This new-build construction will be the tallest tower in Burnaby.

With 169 guest rooms and suites, the property will also offer a wealth of amenities to keep guests active, healthy and balanced when on the road, including complimentary wellness programs and healthy food options. Rise, Element's signature daily complimentary breakfast buffet, includes low-fat breakfast wraps and fruit smoothies. Guests will enjoy complimentary access to a 28,000 sq. ft. fitness facility right next door.

For business, Element Vancouver Metrotown will boast 5,500 square feet of flexible meeting areas -- energizing, vibrant spaces that can be customized to meet any business or social needs. The space features modular furnishings, a flexible layout, and well-designed seating; state-of-the-art technology includes a 50" flat-panel TV, easy-access power outlets, and free Wi-Fi to keep everyone connected.

Like all Element properties, Element Vancouver Metrotown will offer a ChargePoint electric-vehicle charging station for guests and travelers. The Coulomb Technologies' ChargePoint network of open-platform charging stations makes it easy for drivers to locate stations nearby and track their vehicles' progress.

"We like to say Element's inspiring designs flow from nature, so Vancouver's spectacular natural beauty makes a perfect setting for our first Element property in Canada," said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. "And since Vancouver just launched an initiative to become the world's greenest city by 2020, we're very excited for Element Vancouver Metrotown to become part of that movement."

Green from the Ground Up

Element offers calm and comfort, bringing balance to travel. Green features are cleverly designed to be as aesthetically appealing as they are eco-friendly, and enhance every aspect of the guest experience. Every Element property uses eco-friendly materials whenever possible, and hotel designs maximize natural light throughout the property.

Element Hotels is the first major hotel brand to mandate that all it properties pursue LEED certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Element recently became one of the first businesses in the US to earn approval for a LEED-approved prototype through the USGBC's new "volume build" program. With pre-approval for its building prototype, Element will be able to save its partners and developers time, money, and resources as they join Starwood in creating more eco-conscious lodging.

Smart, Eco-Chic Design

Element's unique design philosophy is evident the moment you arrive. After passing through the hotel's signature portal, guests encounter an energizing environment of clean design brightened by streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall. The vitality of the lobby is matched by the energy of the hotel's outdoor fire pit, barbecue and soothing water features.

Cool, calming guest rooms offer customizable space, with multi-purpose, modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving, and custom-designed closets. Guest suites feature the signature Westin Heavenly(R) Bed, and guests can recharge in the spa-inspired Heavenly shower. All suites also offer a fully equipped kitchen featuring modern, ENERGY STAR-rated appliances along with utensils to prepare a gourmet meal.

To reduce waste, guest room bathrooms are equipped with amenity dispensers; kitchens are supplied with silverware and glassware instead of plastic utensils and paper cups; and filtered drinking water replaces plastic water bottles.

About Element Hotels
Element hotels are green by design and inspiring by nature. Element hotel's energizing, eco-chic environment offers bright public spaces, smart design, and modern touches. Every Element property is also a high-performance building where sustainable practices reduce waste and conserve resources. Appealing and comfortable green features enhance the guest experience, from filtered water replacing bottled H20 to low-VOC paints and cleaning products that improve indoor air quality to healthful all-saline pools more healthful than conventional chlorine. Even the ubiquitous "Do Not Disturb" sign has been replaced with Element's now-famous environmentally-friendly magnet. Element also shares a "whole living" philosophy based on keeping life clean, simple and balanced. To help guests stay active and healthy, each property offers complimentary wellness programs and healthy food options. All Element hotels also feature a Bikes-to-Borrow program, which encourages guests to stay energized every day during their stay. Element was launched by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in 2008. Element, like all brands within Starwood's portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, which offers a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com

About Bosa Properties
Bosa Propertiesis one of Canada's most respected real estate development firms, with an enviable and successful record of performance. With roots in residential development and construction, Bosa Properties has developed an extensive and diverse portfolio of successful completed projects. Bosa Properties has developed some of British Columbia's finest high-rise residences, master-planned urban villages, and mixed-use commercial and residential projects. If it enhances its' community, if it makes an impressive architectural statement, and if people love to live in it, work in it or play in it - chances are it has the Bosa Properties name on it.

Bosa Properties has built a trusted reputation for enduring quality, and our business is expanding, led by the next generation of builders in the Bosa family. What differentiates the entrepreneurial Bosa Properties team is a wholly integrated approach - a characteristic that results in buildings and relationships that last for generations. The integrated Bosa Properties team manages and directs all aspects of real estate development - marketing, construction, design, finance and development management - all in-house.

Bosa Properties currently oversees a developable-land portfolio stretching from downtown Vancouver, BC to Washington State and Southern California, totalling in excess of 3,000 residential units, and commercial space in excess of 3,000,000 square feet. Since 2000, we have developed real estate with a present value in excess of $2 billion. For additional information please visit www.bosaproperties.com

About Atlific Hotels
Atlific Hotels is one of the fastest growing hotel management companies in Canada operating over 40 hotels with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Named Company of the Year in 2009 by Hotelier Magazine, Atlific Hotels has 50 years of experience managing well known Canadian hotels, resorts, and extended stay properties and has built a reputation for best in business accounting reporting, exceptional sales and marketing programs and sound operational systems. Atlific Hotels' parent company, Ocean Properties, Ltd. operates over 60 hotels throughout the United States. Together they manage over 100 properties in North America with a total of 16,500 rooms, which include independent hotels and resorts as well as internationally recognized hotel brands such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts. For more information please visit www.atlific.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 1025 properties in 100 countries and territories with 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(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Méridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), and ElementSM. 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.

SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.