Sonesta to Be Acquired for $31.00 Per Share in Cash

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. November 04, 2011

November 3, 2011 - Sonesta International Hotels Corporation (Nasdaq:SNSTA) ("Sonesta") announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Sonesta acquisition Corporation ("SAC" formerly known as Property Acquisition Corporation), will acquire Sonesta for $31.00 per share in cash, or approximately $174 million in total purchase price, including assumed indebtedness and other liabilities. SAC is an affiliate of Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE:HPT) of Newton, MA. The per share purchase price represents a 71% premium over Sonesta's closing share price on October 27, 2011, the day prior to Sonesta's recent announcement that it is engaged in discussions regarding potential transactions, including a possible merger transaction.

Stephanie Sonnabend, Chief Executive Officer and President of Sonesta, stated, "We are delighted to announce this transaction, which will provide our stockholders with significant value. We look forward to working closely with SAC to ensure that the transition is seamless to our customers and employees."

The anticipated transaction contemplates that Sonesta's management team will remain intact. It will continue to operate Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston, Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans, and Sonesta Bayfront Hotel Coconut Grove (a condominium hotel), as well as the hotels it currently operates and franchises in Egypt and South America. It will also be available to operate other hotels for HPT.

Completion of the transaction, which is currently expected to occur in the first quarter of 2012, is subject to approval by Sonesta's common stockholders and certain other customary closing conditions. Certain members of the Sonnabend family holding approximately 55% of Sonesta's outstanding shares have entered into voting agreements pursuant to which they have agreed, subject to the terms and conditions in such agreements, to support the merger. Sonesta's Board of Directors has unanimously approved the transaction and the transaction is not conditioned on the receipt of financing, which SAC has arranged to obtain from its equity investors and from HPT.

Deutsche Bank Securities served as financial advisor to Sonesta, and Goodwin Procter served as legal counsel to Sonesta in connection with the transaction.

Additional Information about the Merger and Where to Find it

This press release is being made in connection with the proposed acquisition of Sonesta by SAC and does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale. In connection with the merger, Sonesta intends to file with the SEC a proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders of Sonesta are urged to read the proxy statement and the other relevant material when they become available because they will contain important information about Sonesta and the proposed transaction. The proxy statement and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any and all documents filed by Sonesta with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the proxy statement as well as other filings containing information about Sonesta and the merger that are filed with the SEC by Sonesta, if and when available, by contacting Boy van Riel, Vice President and Treasurer at (617) 421-5444, or by accessing Sonesta's investor information website at http://www.sonesta.com/Corporate/index.cfm?fa=corporate.investorinformation. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND THE OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS.

Sonesta and its respective executive officers, directors and trustees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the security holders of Sonesta in connection with the merger.

Information about those executive officers and directors of Sonesta and their ownership of Sonesta's common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 13, 2011. Investors and security holders may obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of Sonesta and its respective executive officers and directors in the merger by reading the proxy statement regarding the merger when it becomes available.