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Press Release: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
December 17, 2002
WHITE PLAINS, NY -- The new Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport came in for a landing on Sunday, December 15th
adjacent to the Edward H. McNamara/Northwest WorldGateway terminal at Detroit's Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
The 11-floor, 400-room property is the first luxury hotel to open in the metro Detroit market in 15 years. This
$85.1 million hotel is owned by Wayne County and managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., (NYSE:HOT)
under its Westin brand. Located only 15 minutes from downtown Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the new Westin
promises to be a welcome addition to Detroit's hotel market for both corporate and leisure travelers.
"We are extremely proud to add The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Starwood's highly-acclaimed portfolio
of luxury hotels," said Geoff Ballotti, Starwood's executive vice president of North American hotel operations.
"This hotel will expand Starwood's presence in metro Detroit and provide travelers with the finest amenities
at the airport - amenities and services our Westin guests expect and deserve. Together, the WorldGateway and Westin
will make Detroit a premiere meeting location."
Designed for the ultimate comfort and service for travelers, meetings and special events, the new Westin offers
top of the line accommodations and amenities. The sleek and contemporary design mirrors the contours of the new
terminal and features Asian-influenced decor with light-colored Anigre wood accents imported from Africa. The spacious
eight-story atrium with a 5,000-square-foot serene reflecting pool and 50-foot-bamboo trees offers the perfect
place for a quiet conversation or a tranquil interlude between meetings and flights.
The 370,000-square-foot hotel includes:
"The Westin adds another world-class feature to the new Edward H. McNamara Terminal/Northwest WorldGateway,"
said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Lester Robinson. "The hotel was designed to provide convenient access
to gateways around the world with direct entrances to and from the terminal. Business travelers will be able to
land, attend a meeting within exceptional facilities and depart the same day, or board a flight after a restful
night in deluxe accommodations."
Guestrooms feature Westin's signature Heavenly Bed® -- layer upon layer of fluffy down bed covers, comforters,
and pillows -- and its newest Heavenly Bath(TM) -- a custom-designed Speakman® showerhead that offers a choice
of spray options from light mist to massage needles, as well as velour bathrobes, oversized, Brazilian combed cotton
bathsheets, curved shower rods to provide extra elbow room, and refreshing and invigorating spa amenities. Guestrooms
also boast two-line phones including one cordless phone, voicemail, data ports with high-speed Internet access
and all of the brand standards and superior services the Westin name is known for, such as Service Express®,
a "one call does it all" concept that allows guests to dial just one number on their telephone to order
24-hour in-room dining, call the luggage attendant or room attendant, or have any other request filled.
Northwest Airlines served as the project manager, Darryl Berger Companies, Inc., New Orleans served as the project
developer and Atlanta-based PFVS Architects as the architectural firm. Ai Group, Atlanta, designed the interior.
Walbridge Aldinger, one of Michigan's major construction firms headquartered in Detroit, began building the hotel
in March 2001.
"The combination of the WorldGateway Terminal and the Westin Hotel creates a new standard in airport hotel
comfort and convenience," said Jim Greenwald, Northwest vice president facilities and airport affairs. Northwest's
WorldGateway at Detroit provides travelers with seamless, quick and easy connections to over 130 destinations worldwide
with 514 daily flights. The WorldGateway offers amenities such as fully integrated domestic and international arrivals
and departures, and fully enclosed, climate controlled, passenger jet bridges for every type of aircraft it operates.
Northwest Airlines is the world's fourth largest airline with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo
and Amsterdam and more than 1,500 daily departures. With its travel partners, Northwest serves nearly 750 cities
in almost 120 countries on six continents.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. recently earned the distinction of having more than 25 of its top
hotels and resorts included in Conde Nast Traveler's 2001 Readers' Choice Awards List. Guests who stay at The Westin
Detroit Metropolitan Airport will be able to earn their way toward free travel through Starwood Preferred Guest®,
consistently rated the best hotel frequency program in the world. With more than 700 participating hotels and resorts
around the world, the program is the industry's most global and offers a structure focused on simplicity, flexibility
in redemption options and inclusion of all Starwood's brands.
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with more than 110 hotels and resorts in 26 countries, is owned by Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in
the world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed
properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor
of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W
brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality
vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com
For information and reservations, please call 1-800-WESTIN1 or visit www.westin.com
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Contact:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Ellen Gallo, 914/640-8167
Director, Public Relations
ellen.gallo@starwoodhotels.com
Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.