Four Points By Sheraton Arrives In Meriden, CT

Hotel Will Be Area's Only Full-Service Hotel and Conference Center

Meriden, CT - A new Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center opens in Meriden today with an official flag-raising ceremony. The former Ramada Inn hotel site has been almost completely rebuilt and transformed into the higher-tiered Four Points by Sheraton Meriden. The reflagging of the property, marks the completion of a total refurbishment of the property. The $4 million renovation project includes all new guestrooms and meeting spaces as well as a refurbished lobby and brand new restaurant called Brady's.

"We are excited to open the newest full-service hotel in Connecticut," said Hoyt H. Harper II, senior vice president, Four Points by Sheraton. "Our research shows that this area is an excellent fit with our demographic profile of customers seeking all the quality amenities and services of the Four Points by Sheraton brand, Starwood Hotels & Resorts' mid-priced hotel chain."

The ownership of the property, a Four Points by Sheraton, is a partnership between Philadelphia real estate company Amerimar Enterprises Inc. and New York investment firm Angelo Gordon & Co. This team recently completed the refurbishment of the award-winning Sheraton Atlanta, Houston's Hotel Derek and Washington D.C.'s Hotel George.

Bernie English, vice president of hotels for Amerimar Enterprises, said: "We are the area's only full-service hotel and our central location coupled with our visitor amenities and Starwood benefits will provide business and leisure guests with unparalleled services."

The Four Points by Sheraton Meriden will feature 150 guestrooms, including 10 suites, and is conveniently located, approximately 20 minutes from Hartford and New Haven and less than two hours from New York and Boston, with easy access to train stations and airports.

The hotel's guest rooms will feature upgraded bedding including high-thread count sheets and a plush top mattress. Every guestroom will feature a 27" television with complimentary premium movie channels, granite vanities in the bathroom, complimentary bottled water in all rooms and deluxe branded bathroom amenities. Guests will enjoy free use of the fitness center and indoor pool with outdoor patio.

The hotel will bring world-class amenities and services to the greater Meriden area. Some of the business-friendly features coming to Four Points by Sheraton, include: wireless internet access in all public spaces and meeting rooms; a 24-hour business center with work space, phones, faxes and a copy machine; oversized work desks with ergonomic chairs in all 150 guest rooms; two phones in every room with voicemail; and high-speed internet access in all guest rooms.

To serve the business, associations, meetings and social markets the hotel will provide over 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space for a total of eighteen meeting or banquet rooms.

The Four Points by Sheraton Meriden offers features that make it easier for businesses to plan meetings, such as an in-house audiovisual company facilitating the seamless integration of computer and audiovisual equipment to ensure hassle-free presentations and a full-service kitchen which offers a variety of catering options for any size meeting or event from continental or bull breakfasts, to business lunches and dinners, and banquets for weddings or special events.

During the grand opening period, the Four Points by Sheraton Meriden will offer double reward points to travelers who use their Starwood Preferred Guest cards, offering a policy of no blackout dates and no capacity controls, enabling members to redeem free nights at any time and at any location.

The Four Points by Sheraton in Meriden is currently booking for the summer and fall of 2004. To make a reservation, book a meeting, or obtain additional information, call 203-238-2380, or go online at www.fourpoints.com

About Four Points by Sheraton:

Four Points by Sheraton hotels are located at airports, in mid-sized cities, leisure destinations, and business and commercial centers. The hotels cater to business and leisure travelers as well as meeting planners seeking a quality, mid-priced value-oriented product. In addition to the high-speed Internet access services, key features include an on-premise restaurant serving cooked-to-order breakfast, complimentary bottled water in-room, room service with a 30-minute delivery guarantee, swimming pools, fitness facilities, business services and meeting space with catering facilities.

Four Points by Sheraton, with 136 properties in 16 countries, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is consistently rated as a top performer in the mid-priced category by Business Travel News' "Annual U.S. Hotel Chain Survey."

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: HOT) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 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.