Starwood Preferred Guest Program Takes Home 10 Freddie Awards

Starwood Preferred Guest, launched in 1999, has won over half of all hotel program awards, more than

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. October 14, 2008

WHITE PLAINS, NY, May 1, 2008. Last week, Starwood Preferred Guest took home ten awards at the 20th Annual Freddie Awards, including winning the majority of international awards, such as Hotel Program of the Year in the Asia Pacific region for the tenth consecutive year and in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region for the second consecutive year. Since the program was introduced in 1999, frequent travelers from around the world have recognized Starwood Preferred Guest as the hospitality industry's top-rated loyalty program. This year Starwood Preferred Guest was honored with such accolades as Program of the Year, Best Customer Service and Best Award Redemption, among others. More than 600,000 frequent travelers worldwide cast online ballots to determine the winners.

Starwood also took home top honors in the Best Affinity Credit Card category for the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express for the second year in a row. Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card offers greater benefits and richer rewards, making it easier than ever for consumers to earn free nights at more than 860 Starwood hotels and resorts around the world and award flights with more than 30 airline partners.

Known as the frequent travelers' answer to the Oscars, Freddie Awards recognize the best loyalty programs in the world. The awards are voted on by frequent travelers around the world via an Internet survey sponsored by Inside Flyer magazine, giving those who travel most the opportunity to voice their opinions on favorite airlines, hotels and credit card loyalty programs. The Freddie Awards have grown in stature and importance over the past 20 years and are regarded as the most prestigious consumer-generated travel awards in the industry.

Starwood Preferred Guest Program's total award win includes:

-- Program of the Year - Asia Pacific and Europe/Africa/Middle East

-- Best Web Site - Europe/Africa/Middle East

-- Best Elite Level - Asia Pacific and Europe/Africa/Middle East

-- Best Award Redemption - Asia Pacific and Europe/Africa/Middle East

-- Best Customer Service - Asia Pacific and Europe/Africa/Middle East

-- Best Affinity Credit Card - Americas

"We are thrilled that our members once again recognized Starwood Preferred Guest with a number of Freddie awards," said Chris Holdren, Vice President of Starwood Preferred Guest and Global Web Services for Starwood. "We have won 96 Freddie awards since we launched in 1999, more than anyone else, and we are proud to offer our members benefits that continuously make their travel experience better and have become a benchmark in the way the travel industry does business. Starwood is a global company and winning the majority of international Freddie awards is a great honor."

Starwood Preferred Guest made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates and no restrictions on the number of rooms available on any night of the year. The program boasts an unrivaled portfolio of award-winning hotels and resorts to earn and redeem that includes some of the world's most celebrated hotel brands: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton, W and Four Points by Sheraton. Starwood Preferred Guest also offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel program, which has proven to be a big draw for the world's most frequent travelers, and a significant competitive advantage.