aloft Hotel Breaks Ground in Chantilly, Virginia

aloha! Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) and its much-anticipated new lifestyle brand, aloftsm hotels, today celebrated the groundbreaking on a new aloft hotel in Chantilly, Va., immediately south of the Dulles International Airport and the National Air and Space Museum. Developed and owned by Columbus, Md.-headquartered Ampac Group, aloft Dulles South is scheduled to open in spring 2009. Marshall Management, located in Salisbury, Md., will operate the hotel, as well as provide construction oversight and pre-opening services. The 144-room hotel will offer a variety of intuitive technologies and atmospheric public spaces. aloft Dulles South will be conveniently located in the heart of the technology corridor and is in close proximity to numerous corporate offices in the aerospace, technology and telecommunications fields, as well as the county’s largest business park, Westfields. The new-construction hotel will be located at 3870 Centerview Drive several minutes from the Dulles International Airport. "aloft Dulles South will bring its definitive sense of style and urban sensibility to dynamic western Fairfax county, one of the most rapidly growing areas in the country,” said Brian McGuinness, Vice President of aloft and element hotels worldwide. "Custom-designed for forward-thinking travelers, aloft provides a fresh, new lodging alternative that fits in well with the cutting-edge development and technology that dominates the area. "The aloft brand is the next generation of hotels, offering a combination of innovative lifestyle options, a technology-rich milieu in a high energy social environment,” said Annie Kim, owner of the Ampac Group. "Our company focuses primarily on the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast markets. Our aloft Dulles South, which will be one of the first to open in the region and the country, will attract a broad and eclectic mix of business and leisure guests from around the world.” "The uniqueness, freshness and newness of the aloft Dulles South will create a buzz in the tech corridor that will immediately distinguish the hotel from older, more traditional hotels in the area,” said Mike Marshall, president and CEO of Marshall Management. "We also will add energy to the local economy with the addition of nearly 50 new jobs upon opening.” As a Vision of W Hotels, the aloft brand is shaking up the lodging industry with urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. aloft hotels offer a total sensory experience, with aloft guest rooms featuring loft-like, nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows to create a bright, airy environment. The centerpiece of the aloft room is the ultra-comfortable signature bed, and large stylish bathrooms complement the guest experience with oversized walk-in showers and amenities created by bliss® spa. Each guest loft is also a combination high-tech office and entertainment center, featuring wireless internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry such as PDAs, cell phones, mp3 players and laptops - all linked to a large flat panel LCD television for optimal sound and viewing. Designed in conjunction with world-renowned David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, aloft stays true to the W brand’s heritage, offering atmospheric public spaces designed to draw guests from their rooms to socialize and make friends. Guests can read the paper, work on their laptops via hotel-wide wireless internet access, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mixsm communal lobby area and bar w xyzsm. The re:chargesm fitness center and splash, the indoor or outdoor pool, give travelers options to de-stress and re-energize; while re:fuel by aloftsm, a one-stop food and beverage area, offers sweet, savory and healthy food, snacks and beverages to grab & go, 24-hours a day. The first aloft hotels will open this summer. For more information on aloft, please visit www.alofthotels.com. About aloft Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, aloft is a new destination sensation featuring loft-inspired design, accessible technology and a stylish urban attitude. Starwood anticipates the first aloft hotels to open in 2008, with 500 properties worldwide expected by 2012. About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft(SM), 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 Marshall Management Salisbury, Md.-based Marshall Management, founded in 1980, has special expertise in operating three- and four-star branded hotels and resorts, averaging 100 to 400 rooms, in urban and central business districts, suburban/drive-to and resort location. Additional information about Marshall Management may be found at the company’s Web site: www.marshallhotels.com. About Ampac Group Founded in 2005, AMPAC Group is a development company headquartered in Columbia, Md. The company invests across a wide range of real estate classes, primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The company currently owns two hotels and has three hotels, including the aloft Dulles South. Additional information about the company is available at www.ampacgroup.com.