THE US GRANT HOTEL SIGNS ON DYNAMIC PR TEAMS TO RELAUNCH SAN DIEGO’S GRANDE DAME

The legendary US GRANT HOTEL in downtown San Diego announced it has retained THE MARSHALL PLAN with SUSIE DOBSON GLOBAL PR and BERKMAN COMMUNICATIONS as its public relations agencies of record for the planned fall 2006 reopening of the landmark property in downtown San Diego. THE US GRANT will debut as the newest member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection, an elite group of over 80 one-of-a-kind properties around the world.
“I am delighted to have assembled such a passionate public relations team,” stated Mark Dibella, Director of Sales and Marketing for THE US GRANT. “Starwood’s expertise in representing luxury hotels is unrivaled and each agency contributes a unique set of skills and talents that complement that expertise. This selection of agencies creates a well-rounded and innovative team, which I am confident will be an incredible asset to our staff.”
THE MARSHALL PLAN will handle national and international public relations, and BERKMAN COMMUNICATIONS will be responsible for local regional representation for this project.
The opulent, 272-room US GRANT HOTEL, built by Ulysses S. Grant Jr. to honor his Civil War hero father, has defined Southern Californian grace and grandeur since it opened in 1910. Now embarking on a multi-million dollar project to enhance the already magnificent property, the hotel has assembled an international team of designers, architects and craftsmen who will ensconce the National Register of Historic Sites landmark in a cloak of elegance and luxury unique to the region.
THE US GRANT — purchased for approximately $45 million in December 2003 by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, who were the original inhabitants of regional lands including what is now downtown San Diego — will once again set the standard of hospitality and excellence for all of Southern California. Known as the “Jewel of Downtown,” the hotel is located at 326 Broadway.

About THE MARSHALL PLAN MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS – WITH SUSIE DOBSON GLOBAL PR
Based in Los Angeles, THE MARSHALL PLAN is a marketing company that specializes in lifestyle, travel and wellness clients. Since its 1995 launch, THE MARSHALL PLAN has consulted on branding, strategic positioning and public relations with over 40 different hotels, resorts, spas, destinations, travel companies, physicians and authors, as well as catalog, product and fashion companies. Over half of those projects have been launches of new or improved brands. Very familiar with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, THE MARSHALL PLAN also currently represents The Atlantic Ft. Lauderdale & the Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa – both of which, like THE US GRANT, are members of Starwood’s Luxury Collection — as well as the Sheraton Hotel Tahiti and the Sheraton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa. For more information, visit www.themarshallplan.com .
Susie Dobson Global PR is a marketing, publicity and special event company specializing in media relations and the creation of strategic alliances, cross promotions and high-profile celebrity events for lifestyle brands. Clients range from entertainment firms and international governments to prestige luxury and beauty brands.
This strategic alliance brings together proven marketing expertise from the worlds of hospitality, luxury, beauty and entertainment, which is key to introducing such a powerful brand as the redefined US GRANT to an international marketplace.

About BERKMAN COMMUNICATIONS
Headquartered in San Diego and representing a diverse clientele active globally, BERKMAN COMMUNICATIONS provides full-service public relations, advertising, special event planning, identity marketing, public affairs and communications management services. Clients of the multi-award-winning firm are respected leaders in the industries of consumer communications products; hotel, tourism, leisure and food services; entertainment; select retail and manufacturing; transportation related; healthcare/wellness; real estate, financial and professional services. Among its clients are the Gaslamp Quarter Association’s “San DieGO DOWNTOWN” destination marketing program; global consumer electronics companies GN Netcom and Jabra; the San Diego venues of The Oceanaire Seafood Room and The Palm Restaurant; and Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps, LLP. For additional information, visit www.berkmanpr.com.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced aloftSM. Starwood Hotels also owns 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.

(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)