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Aloft Hotels Leap into London for 2012

World's fastest-growing mid-market hotel brand introduces affordable urban cool to London's hotel scene with the signing of Aloft London ExCeL
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc .® (NYSE:HOT) and its new destination sensation brand, Aloft® Hotels, today announces the signing of Aloft London ExCeL. Scheduled to open in advance of the London Olympics in 2012, this 252 room hotel will be located at ExCeL London, the international exhibition & convention centre in the Docklands area of the city. Created to shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, open and vibrant design and a social guest experience at an affordable price point.

The sleek new Aloft London ExCeL is being developed by ExCeL London's parent company, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company ( ADNEC ), also owners of Aloft Abu Dhabi, the Middle East's first Aloft hotel, which is located adjacent to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Aloft London ExCeL will mark the brand's UK debut and will be the second Aloft property in Europe following the Aloft Brussels Schuman, scheduled to open this Autumn.

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADNEC 's Chairman said, " ADNEC is committed to innovation as evidenced by our decision to partner with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to introduce a new hospitality brand to the UK. Aloft London ExCeL will support ExCeL's growing events calendar and the London Olympics by providing quality, stylish and affordable accommodation."

Ten years after Starwood Hotels & Resorts shook up the hotel industry with the launch of W Hotels, the innovative hotel giant has once again reinvented hotel design with its new brand, Aloft. Featuring loft-like guest rooms, a buzzing bar scene in the open lobby, a grab-and go café and industrial design elements throughout, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, modern and vibrant design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point.

The signing of Aloft London ExCeL is part of a strategic international expansion of the Aloft brand. After opening its first hotel in June 2008 in Canada, Aloft has since grown to almost 50 hotels strong in four countries - the United States, China, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. This year, Aloft will continue its global growth with slated debut openings in Belgium, India and Thailand followed by the second Aloft for the Middle East, the Aloft Riyadh, which is scheduled to open in 2011.

"The debut of Aloft in key European hubs such as London underscores the power of the Aloft brand and the strength of Starwood 's global relationships with experienced hotel developers. We have a strong partnership with ADNEC through the Aloft Abu Dhabi." said Roeland Vos, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts , Europe, Africa and Middle East. "In addition to the signing of Aloft London ExCeL, this year Starwood will launch the W brand in the UK with the opening of W London-Leicester Square. These developments further highlight Starwood 's commitment to growth in the UK market."

First-time visitors will immediately understand that Aloft is different from any other hotel experience. Aloft guest rooms, designed by Rockwell Group, feature the brand's signature ceilings of nearly three metres high, oversized windows and an ultra-comfortable bed, as well as roomy walk-in showers. Each Aloft room is equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple-electronic gadgetry, all linked to a 42" flat-panel, HDTV-ready television making it a combination high-tech office and entertainment centre in one.

The Aloft London ExCeL will also offer atmospheric public spaces where guests can mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mix^SM communal lobby area and w xyz^SM bar. In addition, the hotel will boast re:fuel^SM by Aloft, a one-stop, 24-hour grab & go food and beverage area, offering sweet, savoury and healthy food, snacks and beverages. The re:charge^SM fitness centre and splash pool will give travellers options to de-stress and re-energise.

Kevin Murphy, CEO, ExCeL London comments: "We have been working very closely with Starwood to bring the Aloft brand to London. The Aloft London ExCeL will provide today's forward-thinking travellers with a space that is open to design and open to possibilities, and the arrival of this hip, new hotel concept will offer our customers a unique guest experience. Opening at the end of 2011, in time for the 2012 Olympics and our ever expanding calendar, the Aloft will add a further 252 bedrooms to our onsite offer."

The London Docklands area is to be the focus of much investment over the next two years in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. The hotel will be located at ExCeL's Eastern entrance at the Royal Victoria Dock and will have direct covered access to Prince Regent Station on the Docklands Light Railway and London's first International Convention Centre. ExCeL is London's largest conference and exhibition centre and is within easy reach of London City Airport and Canary Wharf.

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About Aloft Hotels
In the same way that W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena a decade ago, Aloft is shaking up the industry for the next generation of traveller. Aloft hotels are geared toward savvy, design-conscious consumers who grew up with the democratisation of design. Aloft hotels are wired for the future and an aggressive growth plan is in place with 40 properties set to be open by the end of this year from Abu Dhabi and Baltimore to Dallas and Beijing and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc . is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1000 properties in nearly 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 Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element ^SM. 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.

About Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company ( ADNEC )
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company ( ADNEC ) is a strategic international venue development and management company. ADNEC 's venue portfolio includes one of the most modern exhibition centres in the world - the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and the UK capital's largest exhibition and conference venue, ExCeL London. ADNEC is creating unique business districts to serve Abu Dhabi's rapid expansion and emergence on the global stage. Development projects surrounding the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre include Capital Centre (a mixed-use development of 23 hotel, residential, commercial and mixed-use towers adjacent to the exhibition centre), Capital Gate (an iconic 35-storey, gravity defying feature tower, featuring the 5-star hotel - 'Hyatt Capital Gate'), the Aloft Abu Dhabi and a 2.4km Marina zone on Al Bateen Channel opposite to the exhibition centre. In addition, ADNEC is expanding within the region, with The Al Ain Convention Centre, a residential and business micro city around a state-of-the-art convention centre.

© Press Release 2010