Starwood Vacation Ownership Opens Westin Desert Willow Villas
Palm Desert, CA
February 17, 2010 - Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. (SVO), the fractional and vacation ownership division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), announces today the opening of the first phase of The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert. The resort is the second Starwood Vacation Ownership resort in California. The company also operates The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas in nearby Rancho Mirage, California.
The first phase of The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert consists of five three-story buildings, a clubhouse, teen activity room, family activity room, Westin Kids Club®, tennis courts, three swimming pools, a waterslide, barbecue grill areas, multiple outdoor whirlpool spas, a WestinWORKOUT® fitness facility, a steam room and a sauna. This phase includes 74 two-bedroom lockoff villas with luxurious features and amenities. Guests will delight in the separate living and dining areas, private balconies, flatpanel televisions, DVD players, stereos, high-speed wireless Internet, full kitchens, and the signature Westin Heavenly® Bed and Westin Heavenly Bath®. Upon completion, the resort will have a total of 300 two-bedroom lockoff villas.
“It is a pleasure to welcome our first guests to The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert. The Desert Willow community is one of the premier vacation destinations in the area and has two of the best public golf courses in the country, which provide the perfect landscape for this truly magnificent resort,” said Serge Rivera, Chief Executive Officer of Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc.
Starwood Vacation Ownership is an award-winning company with more than 20 resorts in some of the most sought-after vacation destinations in the world. The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert will be the eighth Westin Vacation Ownership resort, joining a resort collection that includes resorts in Hawaii on the islands of Maui and Kaua'i, California, Arizona, Colorado, Cancún, and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to Westin, Starwood Vacation Ownership is developing vacation ownership resorts under the Sheraton brand and high-end fractional Residences under the St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brands.
For information on employment or sales at The Westin Desert Willow Villas, Palm Desert please visit: www.starwoodvo.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 
