Starwood Hotels to Expand Portfolio in the Greater Houston Region with a New Westin
Located in Critically Acclaimed Woodlands Master Planned Community
August 12, 2014 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and The Howard Hughes Corporation® (NYSE: HHC) today announced that the renowned Westin brand will soon open its fifth hotel in greater Houston. The Westin, The Woodlands will debut at the end of 2015 within The Woodlands, one of the country's premier master planned communities and a leading business center located 27 miles north of downtown Houston.
The newly constructed Westin will offer 302 luxurious guest rooms, more than 15,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space, an outdoor pool, WestinWORKOUT® studio, business center and all the brand's signature amenities in a scenic location overlooking The Woodlands Waterway® in Waterway Square®. The Westin, The Woodlands will feature a 150-seat restaurant, lobby bar and second level pool deck and bar, with direct access to The Fountains at Waterway Square. Guests can also cross an adjacent pedestrian bridge spanning The Waterway to access the performance stage at Waterway Square.
“We look forward to growing our presence in the Houston area and introducing the Westin brand to The Woodlands, a vibrant and fast-growing business and entertainment hub,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts and Le Meridien Hotels. “The Westin, The Woodlands will appeal to both business and leisure travelers seeking to recharge and revitalize with the help of the Westin brand's signature programs and amenities, designed to send them home feeling better than when they arrived.”
“There is a tremendous demand for signature hotels in The Woodlands, and we are pleased to welcome the renowned Westin brand,” said Paul Layne, Executive Vice President of Master Planned Communities for The Howard Hughes Corporation. “The Westin, The Woodlands will be a great place to stay in Waterway Square, a regional destination with multiple water features, shopping, dining and entertainment options for locals and visitors alike.”
The new Westin will boast a prime location on Waterway Square within The Woodlands. The 28,000-acre development is home to more than 1,900 businesses employing over 50,000 people. The hotel will be within walking distance to numerous corporate offices, the shops and restaurants in The Waterway Square District, The Woodlands Mall and Market Street, as well as The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Also nearby is the new Hughes Landing, a 66-acre mixed-use development situated on the 200-acre Lake Woodlands.
“The Westin brand is an ideal fit for The Woodlands and will help meet the accelerating demand for high-caliber lodging in this rapidly developing area,” said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Having opened its 200th hotel worldwide this year, Westin is a popular choice among owners and developers in markets throughout North America, due to its distinctive wellness positioning, innovative products and brand-led programs.”
The sensory-rich environment at Westin offers a respite from the rigors of travel and sets a welcoming tone. The Westin brand's innovative programs and instinctive service transform every aspect of a guest's stay into a revitalizing experience. All guestrooms and suites at The Westin, The Woodlands will feature the world-renowned Westin Heavenly® Bed - featuring lush sheets, down cushioning and a patented pillow-top mattress, which cradles and contours to the body for complete comfort. Guests will revive in the Heavenly® Bath enhanced with the brand's Heavenly® Shower, Heavenly® Robe and White Tea Aloe bath amenities, in-room and high-speed Internet access. The hotel will also offer the Westin brand's signature SuperFoodsRX® menu, which includes nutrient-rich and delicious options to tempt every palate.
Westin Hotels & Resorts, like all brands within Starwood's robust portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, which made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. SPG® offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel program.
For more information on Westin Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.westin.com, Facebook or follow Westin on Twitter.
About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts offers innovative programs that transform every aspect of a stay into a revitalizing experience. All Westin signature services - like the Heavenly Bed®, delicious SuperFoodsRx® and WestinWORKOUT® studio - have been designed with the guests' well-being in mind. Westin hotels, with more than 190 hotels and resorts in nearly 40 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with nearly 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 Meridien®, 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.
About The Woodlands
The Woodlands is a 28,000-acre master planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. Throughout its 40-year history, The Woodlands has led the way among master planned communities that practice environmental preservation. It is home to nearly 108,000 people, and more than 54,500 people work in the community. The Woodlands is ranked the #3 Top-Selling Master Planned Community in Texas and #8 in the U.S. by RCLCO, based on 2013 new home sales. For more information, visit www.thewoodlands.com.
About The Howard Hughes Corporation®
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Our properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 16 states from New York to Hawai'i. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. For additional information about HHC, visit www.howardhughes.com.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
