WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Starwood-owned Sheraton Hotels
and Resorts has assumed management of a hotel in the Eastern Province of the
Kingdom of Saudia Arabia.  Sheraton has signed a management agreement with the
Dammam Hotel Co. to operate the hotel, which has been reflagged as the
Sheraton Dammam Hotel & Towers.  The property was formerly operated by the
highly regarded Oberoi chain of hotels.
    "The Sheraton Dammam Hotel & Towers is a beautiful addition to our
Sheraton portfolio in the Middle East, and further strengthens our position as
the leading hotel chain in the region," said Sami Zoghbi, president of the
Africa, India and Middle East division of Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Worldwide, Inc.  "The addition of this hotel also reinforces our aggressive
goals for expansion within the Africa and Middle East region.  Clearly, hotel
owners favor Sheraton because its impact and penetration in the market is so
extensive and effective. The name generates tremendous brand recognition and
value," Mr. Zoghbi added.  Sheraton's expansion program in the region has
already resulted in the signing of more than ten additional management
contracts for new hotels in Lebanon, Egypt, South Africa, Jordan, Ghana, Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates within the next three years.
    The 276-room Sheraton Dammam Hotel & Towers is ideally located just 25
kilometers or 20 minutes by car from Dharan International Airport and 35
kilometers or 30 minutes from the new King Fahd International Airport, which
is under construction.  The property is currently the closest hotel to the new
airport.  It is also approximately 20 kilometers or 10 minutes from the shops
and central business district of Al Khobar and 15 minutes from the city of
Dharan and ARAMCO, one of the world's largest oil compounds.  Additionally,
the hotel is just 80 kilometers from the industrial city of Jubail.
    "The Sheraton Dammam Hotel & Towers is an elegant, high-rise hotel in a
delightful spot on the seaside promenade in Dammam overlooking the Arabian
Gulf," said general manager Jean-Pierre Jaureguiberry.  "Saudi Arabia has long
been a vital market in our industry because of its major role in the world of
business.  The hotel provides guests with outstanding leisure and business
facilities, and can accommodate meetings of all sizes," Jaureguiberry added.
    The hotel offers 276 rooms, including 237 studio and twin rooms, 19 junior
suites, 18 executive suites and two royal suites.  All guest rooms feature
panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf and are equipped with color televisions,
refrigerators stocked with soft drinks and mineral water, individually-
controlled central air conditioning and heating, and telephones with Dial-a-
Conference service, offering the ability to link up to six persons in a
conference call.
    The hotel's "Businessman Bureau" provides 24-hour business services,
including secretarial service in two languages, photocopying, fax, telex and
computer services.  For conferences, the hotel offers six function rooms that
can be used individually or linked, offering meeting capacity for up to 1,000
persons.
    Other hotel facilities include three restaurants, offering the guest a
choice of cuisine ranging from traditional Arabic Mezza and succulent grilled
meats to authentic Cantonese specialties.  Guests can exercise in the hotel's
fully equipped health club featuring sauna and gymnasium, flood-lit tennis
courts or large freshwater swimming pool.  The hotel also offers a shopping
arcade, recreation centre with billiard tables, table tennis, reading and
television room, barber shop, car rental and babysitting service.
    For further information or reservations at the Sheraton Dammam Hotel &
Towers, guests can call a travel agent, any of Starwood's worldwide
reservations offices or visit Sheraton on the worldwide web at
http://www.sheraton.com.
    Starwood is the world's largest hotel and gaming company which, through
its subsidiaries, operates the Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis/Luxury Collection,
Ciga, Four Points, W and Caesars brands.  Starwood's portfolio of owned,
managed and franchised hotels and casinos includes approximately 690 hotels
and casinos in 72 countries with over 223,000 rooms.  The company's Africa,
India & Middle East Division includes 42 hotels in 19 countries.

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