W Hotels Appoints Virgil Napier as DoSM for W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island

Located off the Coast of Puerto Rico

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. July 08, 2011

NEW YORK, July 7, 2011 - W Hotels Worldwide, the stylish and contemporary hotel category buster, announced today the appointment of Virgil Napier as Director of Sales & Marketing of W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island. Located eight miles off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico, W Vieques opened in 2010 as the W brand's first Retreat in North America. The resort has 157 guest rooms, including 20 suites and first-class amenities.

An expert in launching luxury resorts in the Caribbean, Napier transitions from the Viceroy Anguilla with more than a decade of experience in hotel sales. His four year tenure as Director of Sales & Marketing at the Viceroy furthered his expertise in directing and implementing sales and marketing campaigns and generating brand awareness. Napier was responsible for building the department from the pre-opening period and became instrumental to the budding success of the $501 million hotel property. His efforts helped push the Viceroy to be recognized by prestigious groups such as Virtuoso and Fine Hotels & Resorts and find its place onto noteworthy lists including Conde Nast Traveler's Hot List and Travel + Leisure World's Best Hotels To Watch in 2010.

Prior to Viceroy, Napier spent seven years with The Ritz-Carlton brand. He functioned as the Associate Director of Sales for the groups' St. Thomas property from late 2000 until he was promoted to Director of Sales at the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove, Florida in 2005.

In Florida, Napier oversaw $17 million annual revenue while also managing multiple staff teams and campaigns. He received the Golden Circle Chairman's Award in 2005 and the President's Award in 2006. His experience in St. Thomas included acting as the on-site Director of Sales, goal setting, budget and marketing plan creation and implementation. There he was recognized with the Good to Great Leisure Sales Director 2004/2005 Award and the Golden Circle President's Award in 2003.

Napier will be based out of the Starwood regional office in Miramar, Florida. He is a graduate of the University of Miami and holds a MBA from Arizona State University.

About W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island
W Retreat & Spa-Vieques Island opened its doors on March 25, 2010 as the first W Retreat & Spa in North America. Located eight miles off the Southeast coast of Puerto Rico on the peaceful and untouched island of Vieques, the Retreat & Spa features 157 stylish guest rooms and suites, all with private patios and balconies, providing unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel offers a mix of serenity and natural beauty, inviting guests to escape to an untainted paradise that blends soft adventure with soothing relaxation. A Caribbean wonderland blessed with two private palm-lined beaches, the property flaunts waterfront leisure spots such as Living Room, Fire Pit, Lawn and Paradise Edge; four scrumptious dining options from highly acclaimed chef, Alain Ducasse and the beachfront seafood grill, La Pescadora; an AWAY spa for ultimate revitalization and relaxation; and a contemporary seaside sanctuary full of natural wonders and pure indulgence. W Vieques is an undiscovered oasis created by an innovative team of designers including lead designer, Patricia Urquiola, of Milan based Studio Urquiola, renowned design firm, Rockwell Group Europe who collaborated with Patricia Urquiola on the spa and public spaces and architectural firms, Sierra Cardona Ferrer and EDSA. For more information, please visit www.WVieques.com.

About W Hotels Worldwide
W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 40 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand's sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous entertainment experiences, stylish retail concepts and signature spas. With more than 12 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach more than 50 hotels by the end of 2012. W Hotels and W Retreats have been announced for Paris, St. Petersburg, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Bali, Bangkok, Athens - Astir Palace, and Verbier, among other international destinations. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.

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