Starwood Hotels & Resorts Strengthens Its Presence In Australia With The Signing Of Sheraton Melbourne

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced the signing of an agreement with Golden Age Development Group to operate a Sheraton Hotel in Melbourne. Starwood welcomes the Sheraton brand back to the city with a 170 room hotel targeted to open in 2013.

“We are delighted to strengthen our presence in Australia with the signing of Sheraton Melbourne. Given Sheraton’s strong presence in Sydney, Queensland and Fiji, a Sheraton in the heart of Melbourne city will be a great addition and will complement our existing hotels. We look forward to working in partnership with Golden Age Development Group to further expand Starwood’s presence in this gateway city” said Sean Hunt, Regional Vice President, Starwood Pacific Hotels and Resorts.

Scheduled to open in 2013, the hotel is part of the 27 Little Collins project developed on the prestigious site of Melbourne’s Naval and Military Club. The development is set to become the CBD’s newest luxury space combining the Sheraton hotel, exclusive un-branded residences and boutique retail. The Sheraton Melbourne will be located on Little Collins Street between Spring Street and Exhibition Street, also referred to as the “Paris End” owing to its Art Nouveau architecture, leafy surrounds and proximity to the city’s most chic dining and shopping experiences.

The hotel is located within the 31 storey “wavilinear” building which will feature 162 deluxe guest rooms and eight luxury suites. Hotel facilities will include an indoor heated swimming pool, fitness center, a spa with 4 dedicated treatment rooms, one all day dining restaurant and bar, one signature restaurant and a lobby lounge bar. The hotel will also feature 546 square meters of meetings and banquet space over 7 flexible rooms.

The new Sheraton hotel also further strengthens the position of Starwood as one of the largest international upscale hotel chains in the Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Fiji). Starwood currently operates 15 hotels in the region, with more in development under the brands of Sheraton, Westin, Le Meridien and Four Points by Sheraton.

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Sheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 hotels in 75 countries around the world. It is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 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®, 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.

About Golden Age Developments
The Golden Age Development Group is a privately-owned Melbourne based property Development Company based in Melbourne. With a focus on developing residential projects within inner city Melbourne, the group is committed to designing and developing signature high end quality developments. 27 Little Collins is the flagship property for 2010.