Aruba to Get First Westin Hotel

Starwood and Belfonti Capital have agreed to re-flag Belfonti´s newly-acquired 478-room Aruba Resort Spa & Casino as The Westin Aruba Resort & Spa.

The property will raise the Westin flag in late 2006 upon completion of a renovation to further enhance the property´s AAA Four Diamond rating.

The hotel also features the 12,000 square-foot Casablanca Casino, one of the Caribbean´s premier gaming destinations. Belfonti, which owns the entire property, will manage the casino while Westin will manage the hotel under a long-term agreement.

In addition, Starwood Vacation Ownership, a division of Starwood, plans to launch the first Westin-branded vacation ownership resort on Aruba. This vacation ownership resort will be located on land adjacent to the hotel and plans call for 154 two-bedroom villas. Sales are scheduled to commence by early 2007.

In 2005, 32 new Westin projects were executed, and 12 additional projects were executed in the first quarter of 2006. Starwood has signed a record number of new hotels deals and continues to win more new upscale, upper upscale and luxury projects than its competitors.