[March 15, 2012]

Starwood Hotels & Resorts' Element Hotels Brand to Launch Bike Charging Stations, Enabling Guests to Power Personal Electronic Devices as They Pedal

Promising "Balanced Living on the Road," Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.'s (NYSE: HOT) Element Hotels brand has announced an initiative designed to marry Element's commitment to providing health and fitness options for travelers with its green design sensibility. Element Hotels is set to pilot pedal-powered generators on stationary bikes in its fitness centers, enabling guests to generate electricity and charge their own personal electronic devices as they work out. The pilot was unveiled in Miami at the March 15^th opening ceremony for Element Miami International Airport, the newest Element Hotel.

Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen and Element Hotels executives pedal to create electrical power for a digital ribbon cutting, celebrating the opening of Element Miami International Airport. (Photo: Business Wire)

Starwood President and CEO Frits van Paasschen, an avid biker, attended the opening ceremony at Element Miami and joined Starwood and Element Hotels associates in demonstrating the potential for bicycle power. Ten "Element Green" bicyces were placed in bike generator stands adjacent to the hotel entrance, as van Paasschen and invited guests took to the bikes. Their efforts generated enough electricity to power laptops and flat-screen plasma monitors to create a "virtual ribbon cutting" on screen. Guests enjoyed tours of the striking new Element Miami hotel following the ceremony.

Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood, commented, "At Element, we're committed to helping guests stay active, healthy and productive on the road. Since its inception, the brand has also served as Starwood's green innovation lab. This initiative perfectly blends these objectives, and we're happy to see this pilot make its debut at Element Miami International Airport."

Element Miami embodies Element Hotels' commitment to balanced living with a series of design features and amenities that enhance guests' wellbeing while offering them tools to be productive and active on the road.

• Guest rooms and public spaces are designed to be bathed in natural daylight, as guests' mood and productivity are improved in a well-lit environment.
• A complimentary healthy breakfast, RISE, offers options including egg white wraps and fruit smoothies.
• Seamless connectivity is offered via free WiFi (News - Alert) in public spaces and in guest rooms, which also include ergonomic chairs at workstations.
• Element offers well-equipped 24-hour fitness centers, saline pools and Bikes to Borrow.
• Guests can work, relax and fuel up on their own schedules, with kitchens in every room and a fully stocked lobby pantry, with items available 24/7.

About Element Hotels

Accessible, affordable and active, Element Hotels is made to order for guests in the know and on the go. Its bright design defies convention, bathing guest rooms and public spaces in natural light. Stylish and sustainable throughout, Element offers comfort with a conscience and lots of complimentary signature amenities from its RISE healthy breakfast to its RELAX evening reception, saline swimming pools and spacious fitness centers, bikes-to-borrow and electric vehicle charging stations.

Starwood's latest brand innovation, Element made history in 2008 as the only major hotel brand to pursue LEED certification for high-performance buildings brand-wide. To date, there are Element hotels in 10 U.S. markets, with new domestic and international hotels in development. Visit http://www.ElementHotels.com or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50205661&lang=en

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