WEEKENDS ARE FREE THIS SUMMER

Starwood Announces “Free Weekends”

Stay 10 Nights and Earn Two Free Weekends

Singapore, May 12, 2000 – Keep your weekends free -- literally – this summer with “Free Weekends” by Starwood Preferred Guest. “Free Weekends” is a richer version of the popular “Free Friday’s” promotion launched last summer.

Here’s how it works: Current and new members of Starwood Preferred Guest, Starwood’s frequent guest program, can participate in “Free Weekends.” Beginning May 15 through August 31, 2000, members who stay five nights at Starwood Preferred Guest hotels automatically receive two Free Fridays. Members who stay ten nights during the same period will automatically receive an additional two Free Saturdays – meaning that 10 nights gets members two entire weekends for free. Free weekends are redeemable at participating hotels from June 2 through September 16, 2000 with no blackout dates. To participate in “Free Weekends” members must register for the promotion at www.preferredguest.com or by calling 1-877-STARWOOD. Registration begins today.

“Free Weekends” can be earned at more than 700 participating hotels around the world incorporating the Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection and W hotel brands. “Free Weekends” can be redeemed at participating hotels in North America, Mexico and Latin America including some of the world’s finest hotels and resorts like The Princeville Resort in Hawaii; Las Brisas in Acapulco; W San Francisco and Sheraton Buenos Aires.

Full terms and conditions of the program are available at www.preferredguest.com or by calling your nearest Starwood Preferred Guest customer service center.

Starwood Preferred Guest was named 1999 Hotel Program of the Year by consumers via InsideFlyer magazine’s Freddie Awards. Starwood Preferred Guest also received Freddies for Best Customer Service; Best Web Site; Best Elite-Level Program and Best Award Redemption. Introduced in February 1999, Starwood Preferred Guest was also ranked the number one hotel loyalty program in the world as reported by USA Today.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., through its St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points and W brands, is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 700 hotels in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.