$22 Million Renovation Launched for the 525-room Westin O'Hare in Illinois
ROSEMONT, IL - December 16, 2013 - As one of the most iconic hotels servicing the O'Hare International Airport and Rosemont areas, The Westin O'Hare will mark its 25th anniversary in 2014 with a $22 million comprehensive renovation that will include transforming its lobby lounge into a fully-licensed Starbucks cafe, complete with outdoor seating.
The project will also prominently feature complete makeovers to 50,000 sq. ft. of meeting and ballroom space with new carpeting, wall vinyl, lighting fixtures, artwork, audio/video services and both wired and wireless internet connectivity.
The transformation is scheduled to begin with construction of the full service Starbucks cafe in early December, followed shortly thereafter with a complete redesign of the front desk and lobby areas and construction of a 3,800 sq. ft. ballroom. The entire project will be completed by mid-March, 2014.
In addition, The Westin O'Hare's Benchmark restaurant will undergo re-branding with plans that call for a gastro pub-type concept, an impressive lineup of beers on tap, generous amounts of lounge seating, several large screen high definition televisions, communal dining tables and private dining areas.
The current renovation reflects Starwood's continued strong growth in 2014 and upon completion, The Westin O'Hare will assume its role as the premier and most business travel friendly hotel in the bustling O'Hare corridor.
"Westin and Starbucks both share a commitment to providing the highest quality product in the world and we are so excited to be able to have a full service cafe, complete with outdoor seating, in our hotel by early 2014," said General Manager Pete Demay.
"Starbucks has become a respected, global brand because of its passion about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. That sentiment will be reflected in the new cafe that will soon call The Westin O'Hare its home.
In a nod to the environment, The Westin O'Hare renovation will incorporate earth-friendly features from top-to-bottom, including brighter, energy-efficient ceiling lighting to reduce energy needs and new, wool carpeting on the floors which promise to last longer.
"The goal for the ballroom restorations is to make these spaces feel glamorous enough for a wedding reception, but also serious enough for a business meeting," said Demay,
The current beautification project comes on the heels of a multi-million dollar renovation completed this past March which included a complete renovation of all the guest rooms and meeting space. All 525 guest rooms improvements included new furniture and fully refreshed bathrooms and to complement Westin's exclusive Heavenly Experience of the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath.
About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts makes the healthiest choices irresistibly appealing, so guests leave feeling better than when they arrived. With more than 180 hotels and resorts in over 36 countries and territories, Westin is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,051 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 Meridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM. The company boasts one of the industry's leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. 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
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
