Source: Starwood

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) and Majid Al Futtaim Properties today celebrated the opening of Sheraton® Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel. With this opening, Starwood now operates 14 hotels in Dubai, representing the highest concentration of Starwood hotels in any individual city outside of New York. Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel is directly connected to Dubai's leading shopping destination, Mall of the Emirates, which features more than 560 international retail brands and is also home to the iconic Ski Dubai snow dome.

"The addition of Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel into the Sheraton and Starwood portfolios is a testament to the confidence owners have in Starwood and our brands"

"Sheraton has a long history in the Middle East, spanning over 50 years and it continues to be one of the most sought-after hotel brands in the region," said Hoyt Harper, Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. "With the opening of Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel, our brand portfolio in the region is stronger than ever and globally, we are anticipating record-breaking growth with plans to open our 500th Sheraton hotel by 2015."

Peter Walichnowski, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Properties, said: "Sheraton's international standards and impressive track record in the region make it a perfect fit for Mall of the Emirates, which houses a unique range of high-end retail, leisure and entertainment concepts. The hotel will be a fantastic addition to our hospitality portfolio and will complement our offerings at Mall of the Emirates, which was ranked as the seventh most lucrative shopping mall in the world by the International Council of Shopping Centres."

Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel comprises of 481 guest rooms, including 94 suites, as well as close to 9,000 square-feet of ultra-modern meeting and event space. The hotel offers four restaurants and lounges, including: Sanabel, a Mediterranean restaurant; Sodabox, an American retro 1950s café; Vantage, a contemporary urban lounge; and Sanctuary Pool Lounge, boasting panoramic views.

As the newest Sheraton hotel in the region, Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel offers an unrivalled signature experience. This includes all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper® Beds in all guest-rooms, the Sheraton Club Lounge, the executive business centre – The Link@SheratonSM Experienced with Microsoft® and Sheraton Fitness Programmed by Core® Performance, with state-of-the-art gym equipment and training. Guests can also pamper themselves in the Sanctuary Spa with its wide range of innovative spa treatments.

Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel is conveniently located 30 minutes from the Dubai International Airport and 20 minutes from Dubai World Trade Centre. This opening marks Starwood's 16th Sheraton hotel in the Middle East since the debut of the company in the region with the Sheraton Kuwait in 1966.

"The addition of Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel into the Sheraton and Starwood portfolios is a testament to the confidence owners have in Starwood and our brands," said Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East. "The Sheraton portfolio and pipeline is the strongest it has ever been and we look forward to both new-build and conversion opportunities for the brand throughout the Middle East." Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel offers the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) programme, which gives guests a chance to earn Starpoints™ to avail more choices, flexibility and benefits including exclusive redemption options, free nights and access to award-winning properties. Starwood's SPG® loyalty program recently offered members the opportunity to witness the Dralion™ by Cirque du Soleil®, for which Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel was the official hotel partner.

For more information, please visit: http://www.sheratondubaimalloftheemirates.com

About Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

Sheraton helps guests make connections at more than 400 properties in 70 countries around the world and recently completed a $6 billion global revitalization and is now in the midst of a $5 billion global expansion over the next three years. Sheraton is owned by and is the largest and most global brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,134 properties in 100 countries and territories with 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels 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 Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and Element SM. 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 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.

About Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Majid Al Futtaim Properties is the leader in the ownership, development and management of shopping malls and complimentary mixed use projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Majid Al Futtaim Properties has changed the face of shopping, leisure and entertainment across the region with eleven world-class malls operating in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Egypt and two currently under development in Cairo, Egypt and Beirut, Lebanon. In April 2012, Majid Al Futtaim Properties opened its sixth strategic mall in the UAE with Fujairah City Centre. The Company's shopping malls continue to witness a steady increase in footfall with more than 150 million visitors in 2012. Majid Al Futtaim Properties has earned numerous accolades and awards from international organisations that have recognised its leadership and the quality of its properties.

Majid Al Futtaim Properties has four flagship shopping malls; three in Dubai and one in Bahrain. In Dubai, Deira City Centre boasts over 370 stores, leisure and entertainment facilities and over 50 restaurants and cafes; Mall of the Emirates houses over 560 international retail brands, including 80 luxury stores and the world-renowned Ski Dubai; and Mirdif City Centre offers visitors a mix of retail, leisure and entertainment options including 465 stores and iFLY Dubai, an indoor skydiving centre. Bahrain City Centre is the largest shopping, leisure and entertainment complex in Bahrain with 340 international brands including 60 dining options, and features Wahooo!, the region's first region's first indoor- outdoor waterpark.

Majid Al Futtaim Properties also owns nine hotels in the UAE and two in Bahrain, all of which are linked to the company's shopping malls. The hotels' strategic proximity to the company's shopping malls promotes direct access to a wider international demographic and attracts more than 1.2 million guests annually.

The Company is currently developing three master-planned communities. The Wave, Muscat, a joint venture with the Government of Oman; will combine more than 4,000 beautiful properties, Almouj Golf, Almouj Marina, four premier hotels and new retail, leisure and dining opportunities at a seafront address in the new heart of Muscat. The 250,000 sq.m Waterfront City development in Beirut, Lebanon, a joint venture with Société Joseph Khoury & Fils Holding SAL, will feature over 1500 residential homes, an office district, shopping mall, 2 international hotels, as well as multiple parks and a marina front promenade. Finally, Al Zahia, developed by Sharjah Holding, a joint venture between the Government of Sharjah and Majid Al Futtaim Properties, will be a fully integrated community featuring a range of villas, apartments and commercial units.