Starwood Hotels Continues Asset-Light Strategy with Sale of Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, Australia

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced it has sold Sheraton® on the Park in Sydney, Australia to Sunshine Insurance Group Corporation (SIG) for AUS$463.0 million [US$399.0 million]. Starwood will continue to operate the hotel as a Sheraton under a long-term management contract.

"We are pleased to advance our asset-light strategy with the sale of the iconic Sheraton on the Park hotel and look forward to working closely with SIG to ensure its continued success,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood. "The terms of this sale underscores the strength of the Sheraton brand and the success of this hotel, as well as the tremendous value of this property in a high barrier to entry market.”

Turner added: "We’re continuing to see strong investor interest around the world for our remaining assets, and remain committed to finding the right owners and partners while securing long-term management contracts in order to create value for our shareholders.”

Ideally located opposite Hyde Park, Sheraton on the Park has won numerous accolades including New South Wales Tourism’s Hall of Fame awards for Best Luxury Accommodation; Australia’s Leading Hotel awards from World Travel Awards; and HM Awards for Best Meetings & Conference Property. The hotel features 557 guest rooms, full-service dining, a Sheraton Club Lounge, rooftop health club, indoor heated pool, and spa with spectacular city views. At the heart of the lobby, the signature Link@Sheraton^® offers a relaxed space with complimentary wireless broadband where guests can socialize and connect with friends.

"Sheraton on the Park will help diversify our holdings by giving us a trophy asset in Sydney – a leading travel destination and an important financial center in Asia Pacific,” said the executive director of SIG’s acquisition team. "As Starwood’s largest and most global brand, Sheraton has cultivated a loyal following by offering travelers a stylish, comfortable atmosphere and a social guest experience.”

Starwood continues to expand its portfolio in Australia and the Pacific through management and franchise agreements. The company currently operates 14 hotels in Australia, including the recently opened Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane and Sheraton Melbourne Hotel. Upcoming openings include Aloft Perth Rivervale, The Westin Perth and W Brisbane in 2017, marking the brand’s reentry into the Pacific region.

Including this sale and the recent sales of The St. Regis® Rome, the Sheraton® Ambassador Monterrey hotel, and The St. Regis® Bal Harbour, Starwood has completed over US $1.5 billion of hotel asset sales over the last three years.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 1,200 properties in 100 countries, and 181,400 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood 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, Aloft®, and Element®. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.