Travel + Leisure Honors 23 Preferred Hotel Group Members as World's Best for 2006

11th Annual Reader's Poll Recognizes Many of Preferred's Finest Destinations

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. October 14, 2008

CHICAGO, IL, August 29, 2006. Twenty three Preferred Hotel Group properties have received the Travel + Leisure World's Best Award for 2006, a distinguished mark of excellence for hotels and resorts around the world. The rankings, determined by the publication's well-traveled and discriminating readership, recognize the very best in travel from hotels to cities to islands along with all of the operators and outfitters who make the journey possible.

"We are proud that so many member hotels have been recognized among the world's best by Travel + Leisure's readership," said John Ueberroth, Chairman and CEO, Preferred Hotel Group.

Debuting under the top 100 hotels category were The Peninsula in Chicago; the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello, Italy; and Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Ireland. The Peninsula Chicago was also listed on the top 100 Continental U.S. and Canada list and the Palazzo Sasso was proudly featured on the top 50 hotels in Europe roster. The Peninsula and the Palazzo Sasso are singular among Preferred Hotels & Resorts listed to be honored on two separate rosters.

Eleven additional Preferred Hotels & Resorts and one Preferred Boutique were featured on the "Top 100 Continental U.S. and Canada" list. The following is a list of those honored:

. XV Beacon, Boston, MA (Preferred Boutique)

. Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, CA

. Lodge at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach, CA

. Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach, CA

. Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, SC

. Stein Erickson Lodge, Park City, UT

. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO

. The Cloister Hotel, Sea Island, GA

. The St. Regis, New York, NY

. Townsend Hotel, Birmingham, MI

. Watermark Hotel & Spa, San Antonio, TX

For the second year in a row, The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows ranked among the top 25 hotels in Hawaii while The Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico was among the top 25 hotels in Mexico and Central and South America. In other warm vacation destinations, The Sandy Lane Hotel in St. James, Barbados and Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands evened out the top 25 hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas.

Among the top 50 hotels in Europe was The Lanesborough in London and rounding out the top 50 hotels in Asia list, were The Imperial New Delhi; The Fullerton in Singapore; and The Shilla in Seoul, Korea.

Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" winners are announced each August in Travel + Leisure's annual issue. The list is also available online at: http://www.travelandleisure.com/.

Preferred Hotel Group is a global leader in the hospitality industry. This creative, cutting-edge company is designed for a new era in travel - an era in which travelers embrace the individuality of distinctive hotels and resorts - yet desire a consistent commitment to excellence. The four brands of Preferred Hotel Group represent a collection of the finest hotels in the world and include Preferred Hotels(R) & Resorts, (www.preferredhotels.com); Preferred Boutique (www.preferred-boutique.com); Summit Hotels & Resorts (www.summithotels.com); and Sterling Hotels (www.sterlinghotels.com). Learn more at www.preferredhotelgroup.com.

CONTACT: Dianna Tingg/Gina Galatro

Middleton & Gendron, Inc.

+1 212 980 9232/ +1 212 284 9934

EMAIL: [email protected]/ [email protected]

For high resolution imagery of our properties, please visit the Preferred Hotel Group Image Library at www.preferredhotelgroup.com/press.htm.

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