Starwood and NH-K to Open Aloft Washington National Harbor

Including Ketchup Restaurant, a Gourmet Grill and Lounge, from Dolce

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. February 09, 2009

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD, February 9, 2008 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(R) (NYSE:HOT) and its stylish new lifestyle brand, Aloftsm hotels, today announced plans to open the Aloft Washington National Harbor, one of the hotel centerpieces of the National Harbor urban waterfront community taking shape outside Washington, D.C. Starwood has partnered with NH-K Hotel, LLC, an investment group led by The Peterson Companies of Fairfax, Va., to develop the hotel, which will open in April 2009 with 190 loft-like rooms, tech-savvy touches, a hip, social atmosphere and a trendy, celebrity-infused destination gourmet grill restaurant.

Aloft Washington National Harbor will occupy a prime location overlooking the central plaza at National Harbor, a dynamic, 300-acre waterfront community featuring premium office space, upscale retail, fine restaurants, stylish condominiums and world-class entertainment. The high-profile property in Prince George's County, Md., situated on the Potomac River across from Alexandria, Va., and 10 minutes outside of Washington, D.C., includes a public marina, water taxis to and from both cities, and the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, a 2,000-room facility that brings 470,000 square feet of convention and special event space to the development.

Kokua Hospitality, LLC, of San Francisco, a property management affiliate of The Chartres Lodging Group, LLC, which is part of NH-K Hotel, LLC, will manage the completed property.

"Aloft Washington National Harbor will add even more energy and urban style to this landmark development, providing savvy business and leisure travelers with a unique loft-inspired hotel experience that truly maximizes their personal style," said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Aloft Hotels. "Aloft is proud to introduce a bold new lodging alternative at the new gateway to the Nation's Capitol."

As a Vision of W Hotels, Aloft is shaking up the lodging industry with urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. Aloft offers a total-sensory experience, with guest lofts featuring loft-like, nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows to create a bright, airy environment. The centerpiece of the loft room is the ultra-comfortable signature bed, and large stylish bathrooms complement the guest experience with roomy walk-in showers and amenities created by Bliss(R) spa.

Each guest loft is also a combination high-tech office and entertainment center, featuring wireless Internet access and plug & play, a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops - all linked to a large flat panel HDTV-ready television for optimal sound and viewing.

Designed in conjunction with world renowned David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, Aloft stays true to the W Hotel brand's heritage, offering atmospheric public spaces designed to draw guests from their rooms to socialize and make friends. Guests can read the paper, work on their laptops via hotel-wide wireless Internet access, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mix communal lobby area and bar w xyzsm. The re:chargesm fitness center and splash, the indoor pool, give travelers options to de-stress and re-energize; while re:fuel by Aloftsm, a one-stop food and beverage area, offers sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and beverages to grab & go, 24-hours a day.

Reflecting the high-profile, destination nature of National Harbor, the Aloft Washington National Harbor will serve as a signature property in the Aloft chain, and feature such enhancements as a larger w xyz bar and re:charge fitness center; an expanded back yard with its own firepit; additional guest rooms; six premium corner suites, including five with private balconies; and a dramatic, second-floor balcony that runs the length of the property to maximize views of the Potomac River and the activities at the National Harbor plaza. A number of creative design and amenity touches give each guest loft added drama.

The property will also feature the first East Coast branch of Ketchup, the popular West Hollywood, Calif., gourmet grill and lounge from Dolce Group partners Mike Malin and Lonnie Moore. Promising the same sleek, sophisticated feel as the flagship location on Southern California's Sunset Boulevard, Ketchup at the Aloft Washington National Harbor will specialize in gourmet hamburgers, Kobe beef hot dogs, three kinds of fries and five varietals of homemade ketchups, as well as fresh fish and poultry dishes.

"Aloft Washington National Harbor will be a destination within a destination, offering visitors and locals an exciting, unconventional new vantage point from which to experience all the remarkable changes taking place in Washington, D.C.," added McGuinness. "It definitely is the right hotel in the right city at the right time."

Aloft opened its first hotel in 2008 and expects to open 500 properties worldwide in the next five years. For more information on Aloft, please visit www.alofthotels.com.