Starwood Preferred Guest(SM) Members Now Have Five New and Unique Options to
Redeem Points for Luxury Vacations - An Experience No Other Hotel Chain Can
Offer!
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Plan and Starwood Hotels
& Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) have signed an agreement through which,
effective today, Starwood will manage a group of hotels owned by Grupo Plan in
the Yucatan Peninsula and the Pacific Coast of Mexico under Starwood's Luxury
Collection brand.
This portfolio includes three historic Haciendas located in the area of
Merida and Campeche that have been carefully restored and converted into
luxurious, small hotels. The Haciendas have been featured recently in numerous
publications, including Conde Nast Traveler. The wild, exotic landscapes of
the northern Yucatan Peninsula lie in contrast to the sophistication and
elegance of these charming, colonial hideaways. Additionally, the Haciendas
offer the unique opportunity to experience the area's many natural wonders and
Mayan sites in a rustic yet refined setting.
On the Pacific Coast between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo (commonly
referred to as the "Gold Coast of Mexico" because of its breathtaking
scenery), the portfolio includes two additional resorts, El Tamarindo and
Careyes. Nestled among two thousand acres of lush, tropical jungle and facing
the Pacific Ocean, El Tamarindo rises in harmony with its natural
surroundings. Luxurious yet rustic, independent thatched-roof bungalows offer
accommodations fit to please the most demanding guests. The resort also
features a world-class eighteen-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent
Jones, Jr. and David Flemming. "Golf Odyssey" magazine recently rated this
course a perfect twenty points (out of a possible twenty).
A luxurious, Mediterranean-style resort set on its own private bay,
Careyes is a calm and tranquil resort that offers breathtaking views of the
Pacific Ocean from all of its rooms. A quiet cove, nestled between dramatic
cliffs and tropical forest-covered hills, provides seclusion.
A capital program is currently underway to ensure that all of these hotels
will provide the extraordinary quality and service that travelers all over the
world have come to expect from The Luxury Collection.
The Luxury Collection is a branded sales and marketing organization that
supports Starwood's luxury properties, including a selection of Sheraton,
Westin, St. Regis and independent hotels. Since the Collection was launched in
January of 1995, it has grown to become an elite group of 65 of the world's
finest hotels and resorts in 25 countries. To sophisticated travelers
worldwide, The Luxury Collection delivers the finest hotel experiences through
their unparalleled attention to their guests' needs and preferences, their
exceptional and distinctive properties and seamless integration of the
customs, culture and environment of each property's locale.
"We are very excited about the addition of these unique hotels to
Starwood's portfolio," said Osvaldo Librizzi, President, Starwood Hotels &
Resorts, Latin America Division. "These new properties coupled with the 11
Sheraton and Westin hotels currently operated in Mexico, allow us to offer our
guests the broadest range of lodging options in Mexico -- from urban business
hotels to beach resorts and now to a boutique-style charm and luxury in
destinations regarded as ecological and archeological wonderlands."
"One of our goals at Grupo Plan is to create options to bring back to
Mexico the sophisticated traveler looking for a unique vacation experience,"
stated Luis Bosoms, Executive Director for Grupo Plan. "We are glad that we
have joined forces with Starwood and The Luxury Collection in this venture to
accomplish this task."
With this agreement, Grupo Plan and Starwood expand their alliance
initiated during 2000 when they announced their venture to develop the W
Mexico City, the first W Hotel in Latin America. W Mexico City, located in the
heart of the Polanco area will open during 2002.
Details about the Haciendas:
"Hacienda San Jose" occupies what were once the quarters of a plantation
house, now an exclusive full-service hotel strategically located close to the
Yucatecan coast and the famous Chichen Itza archaeological site.
"Hacienda Temozon," a majestic residence located in the heart of the
Yucatan Peninsula, recreates the Belle Epoque of southeastern Mexico. The
deluxe accommodations include elegant rooms within the main building,
surrounded by spacious gardens, a spectacular swimming pool and a 17th century
chapel.
"Hacienda Uayamon" shines like a colonial jewel and is a vivid reminder of
the refinement and prosperity of past eras. Each of its luxurious rooms
features a terrace and a private garden. The hotel generates an exclusive and
tasteful ambience, complemented by its restaurant's regional and international
specialties.
Grupo Plan:
Grupo Plan is a real estate development company with extensive experience
in the Mexican tourism market. Grupo Plan's portfolio includes ownership
interests in several hotels in Mexico, including a number of haciendas on the
Yucatan Peninsula, as well as golf, resort and resort residential developments
along Mexico's Pacific Coast. For more information, please visit Grupo Plan's
website at http://www.grupoplan.com.
Starwood:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and
leisure companies in the world with more than 725 properties in 80 countries
and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With
internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner,
operator and franchiser 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 us at http://www.starwoodhotels.com.
Starwood currently operates 33 hotels in 11 countries in Latin America,
with 11 more under development, including 11 hotels operating and two under
development in Mexico, and is present in practically every primary destination
in the region.
Reservations may be made through the worldwide Luxury Collection
Reservations offices, reachable toll-free in 34 countries (800-325-3589 in the
U.S. or Canada). Corporate customers will have the benefit of The Luxury
Collection's easily accessible global sales office; and travel agents may now
book reservations using all of the latest technology, including direct
connections to all global distribution systems. Reservations also may be made
by visiting the worldwide web site http://www.luxurycollection.com.
Starwood is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world
with more than 725 properties in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its
owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood
is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser 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.
SOURCE Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.grupoplan.com
http://www.starwoodhotels.com
http://www.luxurycollection.com
CONTACT:
Katie Meyer, Vice President, Public
Relations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.,
914-640-8247, katie.meyer@starwoodhotels.com; Angelica Ocampo,
Director of Public Relations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Latin
America, +5411-4318-9395, angelica.ocampo@starwoodhotels.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: Please contact Starwood's new toll-free media
hotline at 866-4-STAR-PR (866-478-2777) for photography or
additional information
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