Radisson Mart Plaza Hotel and Convention Center to Be Reflagged as She

    Business Editors/Travel & Hospitality Writers

    WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2005--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces the reflagging of one of South Florida's most well established hotel and convention centers. Miami's Radisson Mart Plaza Hotel and Convention Center will be renamed the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel following an extensive $8 million renovation, slated for completion in March 2005. Situated near Miami International Airport, at 711 NW 72nd Avenue, the property is also home to the Miami International Merchandise Mart (The Mart). Owner George Zaczac, Sr., president of South Florida Hotels, Inc. will manage the hotel and convention center as a franchise of Sheraton, Starwood's upscale brand.
    "We are thrilled to have this key South Florida property become part of the growing Sheraton brand of hotels," said Norman MacLeod, executive vice president, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. "The hotel is an important addition to our brand's portfolio and provides us a strong presence near Miami International Airport in one of South Florida's most in-demand business destinations."
    "We are delighted to be joining the Sheraton family as one of its primary hotels and look forward to providing our guests with the company's signature amenities and services," said Alan Cristantiello, general manager of the 12-story hotel.
    Several enhancements will be made to the 334-guestrooms and suites to bring this new property up to Sheraton standards including newly furnished guestrooms featuring Sheraton's signature Sweet Sleeper Bed, a luxurious nine-layer custom designed bed that features an 11.5 inch thick, high coil count Sealy Posturepedic(R) Plush Top mattress, down and allergy sensitive pillows and crisp cotton sheets. The hotel will also upgrade all meeting areas and will redesign its common areas, food and beverage outlets as well as exterior landscaping.
    The convention center has operated since 1967 and was joined under the Radisson name when the hotel opened in 1984. The Mart, which has been synonymous with the hotel and long recognized as a Miami landmark, has been in existence since the early 1970s. It represents the premier wholesale shopping destination for thousands of local, national and international retail buyers.
    The hotel offers nearly 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including ballrooms, boardrooms, pre-assembly and foyer areas. Additionally, the convention center has approximately 140,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space on the first floor and a flexible third floor divisible into separate meeting rooms.
    The hotel will continue to offer its business center, health club, racquetball courts, Samy's beauty salon, concierge, and food and beverage amenities. Guests on the Club Level will continue to receive complimentary continental breakfast and daily happy hours.
    To meet the needs of travelers, the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel will offer the Airport Hotels Program with such unique features as Day Break Service (three- and seven-hour room rates that include use of hotel facilities and meeting rooms); a Transit Survival Kit containing important personal care items; and Extended Laundry Service. The hotel also will offer the Sheraton Service Promise, which means if guests are not satisfied, neither is the hotel. The Sheraton Service Promise ensures guests have a great stay or Sheraton will make it up to them with an instant discount, points for its awards program - or even money back.

    Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, the upscale properties operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., is the largest of the Starwood brands. One of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world, Starwood has 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.starwoodhotels.com

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CONTACT: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Ellen Gallo, 914-640-8167 or O'Connell & Goldberg, Inc. Elizabeth Romero/Lesley Bellus, 954-964-9098

KEYWORD: FLORIDA NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TRANSPORTATION TRAVEL PRODUCT SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

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